Among the Stars (All Transcripts)

nynik

‘Among the Stars’ (ATS)

ATS is a roleplay series, with each session a self-contained mission connected by the wider theme of ‘patrol duty’. Sometimes it will mean escorting freighters or charting anomalies, sometimes answering distress calls or negotiating with frontier powers. Always, it will mean stepping into the unknown with your crew and other ship Captains at your side.

Check out what’s happening on discord at: https://discord.com/channels/357149194101981195/1410403028363640942

Session Transcripts will be posted below, after they occur.

Index of Sessions:

Session 1: ‘Ripples in the Ice’
Session 2: ‘A Princely Discovery’
Session 3: ‘The Measure of the Flame’
Session 4: ‘Storm System’
Session 5: ‘The Hespera IX Incident’ (Multi-part mini-campaign)

nynik

‘Ripples in the Ice’

When a sudden disturbance ripples through the rings of Andoria’s nearby gas giant, ships from across the sector rush to investigate. With civilians in danger and the system itself at risk, captains must work together to face the unknown, as the 14th Fleet won’t arrive in time. What they uncover may echo far beyond Andoria’s glistening icy belts…

Session Transcript (Part 1)

Kyhid Zohl: | A sudden subspace surge ripples through the rings of Andoria. Passing ships report strange graviton wakes, and one of the inhabited ring-mining stations goes dark. +
Kyhid Zohl: | With civilian lives at risk and the planet itself a Federation founding world, Starfleet calls organises an immediate response. The 14th Fleet is en route, just in case… +
Kyhid Zohl: | … but before they arrive, other ships from across the quadrant, from Starfleet, to its allies, and to other independents, all converge to investigate the disturbance as they are closer by.
Nalys: Having been in orbit of earth as part of an earlier tour of Starfleet academy, the Anarhai made haste to Andoria at maximum warp. The massive behemoth of a warbird, once a sign of sure doom for -
Nalys: - Starfleet, attempts to contact whatever vessel is coordinating the response to offer its assistance, which thankfully appears to be posessed of generous science and engineering labs, and cargo bays
Kyhid Zohl: | Starlight bends as the USS Tykera exits warp near to Andoria. Her hull already gleaming against the ice rings of the ice world.
Kyhid Zohl: “Helm establish approach vector. Science, give me full sensor scans. Ops, sitrep on our … fellow ships.” Zohl asks of his bridge crew.
Grover Swerdlow: Like many other ships, the U.S.S. Frunze had answered the emergency call from Andoria with haste. Shortly after the arrival of the Tykera, Frunze emerges from subspace with a thunderous clap >
Grover Swerdlow: > rippling throughout the local patch of spacetime.
Passio: =C= “U.S.S. Tykera, this is Commander Tar’Nin of the R.R.W. Dhae’Rhian. I see we’re not the only ones responding to…whatever this is.” =C=
Grover Swerdlow: =C= U.S.S. Frunze reporting in. Awaiting further orders."
Kyhid Zohl: =C= “Cdr Tar’Nin, Cpt Swerdlow acknowledged. Your presence here is timely.” Zohl gestures to open a wide band channel for all ships.
Nalys: =C= "Cdr Nalys here, of the Anarhai. Our scientists have analyzed the wakes. Approach is risky, but possible. I am transmitting data to you know. Frunza, Dhae’Rhian, your vessel’s smaller profiles -
Nalys: - means you might have an easier time getting close to the station." With that, Nalys’s science officer transmits a data dump to the fleet with information on the wakes (Consult DM for more info 😃
Kyhid Zohl: =C= This is Captain Zohl of the USS Tykera to all ships in approaching Andoria. The 14th Fleet is en route, but as we are first on scene, proceed to investigate together if it is your intent. +
Awai: *transiting the region the USS Tarsus, a stellar research and cartography vessel picks up multiple disturbances across several bands of radiation and subspace.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= But please exercise caution. We do not yet know what is occuring =C= " Zohl notes receipt of incoming data from the Anarhai.
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Acknowledged, Tykera. We shall proceed with appropriate caution.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The fractured rings glimmer, graviton wakes shivering like strings of ice, whispering through every sensor feed. Whatever is happening is still happening.
Nalys: “Gravimetrics suggests either careful navigation, or shield harmonic adaptation. I suggest one vessel proceed first and the rest folow that example. Should calamity strike..”
Nalys: “It would be unwise for all our ships to be struck at once.”
Awai: =c=Tarsus to incide command, Andor region.=c=
Passio: =C= “We’ll head in first then. Reckless abandon has gotten us this far, it’ll be totally fine, I promise.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Cdr Passio, your willingness is noted. Very well, the Dhae’Rhian may take point. The fleet will monitor and adapt accordingly. =C=
Kee’ren: =C= “This is USS Liberty, under command of Captain Kee’ren Shissar. We have received the distress call to Andoria system and have engeged the QSD. We shall be at your location shortly.”
Nalys: “Dhae’Rhian, please have your engeneers adjust your shield harmonics as per the data. But given your vessel profile..I suggest a crack helmsman.”
Passio: =C= “Please, I’d trust S’Ten to ride a literal event horizon. This’ll be nothing.” Passio’s statement is followed by a call of affirmation in a man’s voice, presumably her helmsman.
Awai: approximately 2 light years out the Tarsus starts her scanning systems and brings the ship to sub warp speed
Kee’ren: Right behind Tarsus, a Ross-class vessel drops out of warp, switching to one-quarter impulse.
Kyhid Zohl: | On the bridge of the Tykera, Zohl’s antennae tilt forward as the Republic vessel alters course toward the wakes, the rings shimmering like a warning flare.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= All ships, and those joining, keep deflectors tuned to the Anarhai’s data. Any deviation, report at once. =C=
Nalys: The Anarhai’s engines flare to life, the vessel’s bulk starts to drift a respectable distance behind the Dhae’Rhian, and hopefully in sync with other ships, assuming the position of a support -
Nalys: - and coordination craft
Kee’ren: =C= “Understood, Tykera. Establishing com-link with Anarhai.”
Nalys: *As the fleet progresses, the Anarhai’s scientists start feeding data towards the other ships. Shield harmonics modifications come in, and every so often, updates are sent as the vessel’s science -
Grover Swerdlow: Swerdlow orders rerouting power to deflectors and sensors, linking the Frunze’s datastream to Tykera.
Nalys: - crews make new discoveries. TYKERA, LIBERTY, and TARSUS may find their own science crews are being consulted in a rare show of inter-ship science cooperation to determine the best adjustments*
Kyhid Zohl: | System traffic crackles across subspace. Andorian defence craft vector in tight patrols, while civilian freighters queue nervously for clearance. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Local comms are cluttered with half-finished transmissions, sensor echoes, and the clipped orders of planetary control struggling to maintain calm. +
Kyhid Zohl: | A civilian transport edges too close. The graviton wakes flare, hull stressed beyond tolerance. It shears apart in seconds. +
Kyhid Zohl: | An Andorian patrol cutter dives to assist them, but the wakes ripple again. Shields buckle, then that ship vanishes in a bloom of ice and light too.
Kee’ren: =C= “Shivering whiskers!”, Captain Shissar exclaims over the comms.
Awai: *moving awa from the main area of traffic The Tarsus rotates her scanning systems to begin full phase and band scans.
Grover Swerdlow: breathes in while stroking his naked chin, watching the data on the viewscreen and furrowing his brows. “No.” He said to himself, then gestured to open comms. "Frunze shall render assistance to >
Passio: =C= “Elements take me, that’s. Not good.”
Grover Swerdlow: > local security forces in evacuating civilians."
Nalys: *The Anarhai’s engines abrubtly flare to life. Its shields thrumming with adjustments, the massive vessel seeks to hover close to the scene where two ships were torn apart. A detailed biological scan-
Kee’ren: Liberty moves away from the bulk of the group to cover more triangulation area, mimicking Tarsus.
Nalys: - follows, and if any escape pods are found, the vessel angles its thickest armor towards the disturbance before making a brief attempt to beam any survivors aboard*
Nalys: “If one of the ships could stay just behind us and extend your shields around us if we get in trouble, that would be..Appreciated.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Planetary control orders all civilian craft to return to ground at once, or to not approach the rings of the gas giant. Panic floods the channels.
Passio: The Dhae’Rhian hesitates only a moment, but their helmsmen is too deep into navigating the disturbances to render full assistance. A sudden turn back could leave their ship in the same state. ->
Grover Swerdlow: takes off at half impulse to render assistance in imposing a lockdown in the vicinity of the gas giant’s rings.
Awai: =C+ Tarsus to Liberty
Nalys: Thankfully, fate is kind. The warbird’'s tractor arrays can be seen locking on to several escape pods, dragging them away from certain doom. Not long after, the lifesigns shift to the Anarhai as -
Passio: -> They send all the data they can to the Anarhai, monitoring the distortions as best they can as they get closer.
Nalys: - survivors from the twin disasters are sent to its medical bay. The ship then starts to raise shields and back away into the formation
Nalys: =C= Anarhai here, we rescued who we could of the two ships that were just destroyted. Re-assumign formation now." Though the Captain is formal, she struggles to conceal some relief
Kee’ren: =C= “Tarsus, we are receiving you.”
Kyhid Zohl: instructs the Tykera to extend its shields towards the Anarhai, during its attempts to render aid
Grover Swerdlow: The Frunze is assuming a formation with local Andorian security ships, monitoring closely for any stray civilian ships that may wish to get closer to the rings. If any were so brash, they would be >
Grover Swerdlow: met with a swift tractor-beam lock.
Awai: =C= Captain can you please hold postition while we establish a scan link We have reason to believe this is a subspace bubble =C=
Passio: =C= “Um…so like, just in case someone needs a reminder…what does that mean?”
Kee’ren: =C= "Acknowledging, Tarsus. Holding position. Preparing to align the scanning parameters with you.
Kyhid Zohl: | Ahead of the fleet a mining station drifts in the ring’s shadow, vast across the ice like a small city suspended in orbit. Tens of thousands call it home. +
Nalys: “We must get to that station. Dhae’Rhian, are you able to navigate to it with the path outlined by our teams? If not ,we must rely on our shields to push through.”
Awai: =C= Tarsus to all ships in system, Power down to hte lowest possible power levels immediately=C=
Kee’ren: =C= “Mister Hollington, proceed per Tarsus instructions. Weapons and propulsion are to be shut down, life support, shields and navigation to bare minimum.”
Passio: =C= Passio looks to her helmsmen, and a smile appears on her face in response to an unseen and unheard nod. She looks forward again. “Absolutely, Commander.”
Awai: *Aboard the Tarsus, led by Lieutenance commander Asuragi, The stellar cargography and pheom team begin searching for the warp bubble desperately pushing their scanners to its edge of performance. *
Grover Swerdlow: *Swerdlow was not keen on following in on that, however seeing as the other ships did as Tarsus suggested, the Frunze powered down as well, keeping its energy-signature to a minimum.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Tarsus, understood. Your theory is noted. All ships, reduce power to minimum safe levels. We will test if the wakes respond. =C=
Nalys: In typical Romulan paranoia, the Anarhai switches to as low a power as possible while maintaining the shield harmonic..But it drifts behind several of the other vessels, giving it time to re-energize
Nalys: - should the ships ahead be destroyed
Kyhid Zohl: | Fires burn through breached sections of the station, orange glow spilling into the void. Emergency bulkheads hold in places. There has been much structural damage.
Awai: =Tarsus to Dhea’Rhian Captain advise you go lower, if you can safely do in a short burst of power, then go scilent if at all possible we’re trying to get a track in it, =c=
Passio: The Dhae’Rhian follows the laid out path extremely closely. It’s clear that Passio wasn’t exaggerating her pilot’s skill…much. They manage to close in on the station before ->
Passio: -> lowering their power to the recommended levels.
Kee’ren: =C= “Tarsus, can you clarify what seems to be cause of such drastic actions on our part?”
Awai: =c= Aye. The bubble if that is what it is, is attracted by several bands of EM and subspace energy
Passio: =C= “I’d also like that. It would get Corowyn and Dhivael to stop yelling at me…” =C=
Kee’ren: =C= “Understood, Tarsus. We will switch our scanners to monitoring mode.”
Nalys: “Dhae’Rhian, if you are through, can you transmit the condition of the station?”
Kyhid Zohl: | The graviton wakes affect the structure like invisible tides, each surge pushing the station closer to catastrophic collision with the rings.
Passio: =C= “Sending now. It’s um…Well, it’s certainly not good.”
Awai: =Tarsus to Frunzs, Captain Can you move approximately 10 degrees to the right and back? I’d like to use your deflector as a mirror =c=
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Acknowledged Tarsus.”
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Liberty, at your leisure we shall fire a singular photon torpedo aimed at the rings. Since it responds to EM, it would likely react to the presence of our torpedo. On your mark, we shall fire.”
Kyhid Zohl: tries to keep a monitoring eye on what the other ships are doing, but is also coordinating with Andoria Planetary Command and the inbound 14th fleet.
Passio: =C= “Much as I love a good kaboom, maayyybe we don’t shoot at the weird graviton anomaly until we have clearer data?”
Nalys: “Please do not fire a torpedo after we have all been asked to switch to low power. You will get people killed.”
Ezreli: FX | The USS Aegis drops out of warp at the edge of the system, making her way to the Andorian homeworld. “This is Captain Ezreli Jarol of the USS Aegis, we’re five minutes out.”
Ezreli: “Who’s in charge here and are there any advisories to be aware of?”
Nalys: The Anarhai, having read the analysis, wa smoving in to render assistance. However, the mere mention of torpedo’ing the anomaly was enough to cause the vessel to halt its attempt to help
Awai: =C= Tarsus to Frunze Uh, recomend instead, a class five prob with an em emulation package, you’ll get more information to us that way =c=
Kee’ren: =C= "I must concur with Dhae’Rhian. Our scans currently show that this subspace phenomenon which hasn’t been catalogued thus far. The phenomenon is currently at the middle of rings and it is++
Kyhid Zohl: | The Ops officer aboard the Tykera acknowledges the Aegis’ arrival to the fleet operation (in effect), relaying data and including them on active comms

— continued in part 2 below —

nynik

Session Transcript (Part 2)

Kee’ren: ++moving at the velocity of 100 kph, tangtengitally to the rings. Meaning it might be trapped in the graviton well of the gas giant already."
Nalys: “Can we have confirmation that there will be no firing of torpedos? The station needs help. I believe the anarhai can assist, but I need to be sure of the safety of our people.”
Grover Swerdlow: The captain of the Frunze sighed quietly, shaking his head at the misunderstanding of his proposition. =C= “Understood, Tarsus. Preparing probe now. Liberty, we await your confirmation.”
Awai: = Tarsus to all rescue ships recommend shuttles on RCS only. They shouldn’t attract to much attention that way. =c=
Passio: Following this announcement, there’s a slight commotion on the bridge of the Dhae’Rhian. Passio, having not thought to close comms during this, can be heard clearly. “ABSOLUTELY NOT.”->
Kee’ren: =C= “Frunze, we are sending you extrapolated trajectory of the phenomenon with 95% certainty margin.”
Passio: -> “I won’t let you! I will order you to sit your ass down, Ruby, I swear it!”
Nalys: With the Dhae’Rhian safely through, the Anarhai begins a slow, cautious approach of the s tation. Alert for any sign of subspace damage, the vessel, under its modifications, attempts to approach the-
Nalys: - damaged station “Please transmit that trajectory to helm as well, that we may manouver around it”
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Acknowledged, Liberty. Modifying projected probe path according to phenomenon trajectory and transmitting path to Anarhai. Probe launch in 15 seconds.”
Awai: Tarsus sets up its primary scan system to track the movement of probe
Nalys: After studying the anomaly, the Anarhai’s scientists seem to devise a method. The vessel’s engines roar to life, briefly, before all power is cut aboard the vessel. Inertia carries the ship towards -
Nalys: - the station, effectively on zero power thanks to the laws of motion. Thankfully, the engineers seem skilled, and the engines flare to life one time only to draw to a stop just outside the station..
Passio: =C= “Heh. Nice trick Anarhai.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The probe is launched and curves a path to the belt, taking account of detected wave pulses. The journey is very rough, but the probe is sufficiently low power not to be destroyed. It begins
Nalys: “All credit goes to the chief engineer on this one.”
Kyhid Zohl: | to transmit data back
Awai: =c= Tarsus to Liberty. Be advised we’re on the move up to the polar point of Andoria.
Nalys: The Anarhai immidiately begins a rescue operation aboard the station. Its hangar bay doors open, and from it, Romulan shuttles begin to fly towards the battered station. Engineers, doctors, and -
Kee’ren: =C= “Understood, Tarsus. Do you need us repositioning?”
Awai: =c= Aye cam you come up and out about 15 degrees both directions?=c=
Nalys: - rescue crews attempt to land, with and without equipment, and begin evacuating the wounded and civillians. The massive ship seems well suited to these operations, but there was a problem..
Grover Swerdlow: The captain is already standing behind the bridge science officer, watching the data coming in. He orders for the data to be shared with all ships.
Nalys: =C= Anarhai here. Rescue operations are now underway, but with only shuttles, it’s going to take forever to evacuate the station. Can any science ships come up with a way for us to safely use -
Nalys: - transporters? There are thousands of people on this station."
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Be advised. Probe data suggests graviton waves come from within the gas giant.”
Ezreli: =C= Aegis to Anarhai, we’ll take a look at it. Moving to your location, one half thrusters.
Awai: *aboard the tarsus one of her many Astrometric officers.. "Oh, thats not good, No. Not at all….. *
Kee’ren: =C= “We are in position now, Tarsus. Anarhai, Tykera… our DC teams and support engineers are ready in their shuttles should you require additional assistance.”
Passio: =C= “Wait, like…in it, in it? Like, beneath the atmosphere?”
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Indeed. Working on hypotheses now.”
Ezreli: =C= Have we tried transporters in the effects of the anomaly so far? Is there any data to share?
Nalys: =C= Shuttles will not cut it, fleet. We need a way to beam survivors off the station. I am directing my engineers to cut all power aboard the station save life support and gravity."
Awai: =C= Tarsus to fleet, Do NOT scan the rings, I repeat do not scan the rings =C=
Kee’ren: “What about using shuttles and runabouts as an analogues to pattern enhancers for en masse beaming off?”
Grover Swerdlow: its really cool actually
Grover Swerdlow: ((void))
Grover Swerdlow: =C= "Science points out that this phenomenon could be explained by the presence of two massive bodies in close orbit around each other. It is, however, a faulty hypothesis, since the decay in orbit >
Awai: is continuing to scan and track data as it can
Nalys: The Anarhai and the station have now bcome a hub of activity., Brief engine flares pulse back and forth as shuttles nimbly coasts between the station and the ship, carrying survivors one way, -
Ezreli: If this anomaly reacts to energy, a transporter confinement beam would be a significant power usage. We’d be best to work on a way to isolate the signal.
Grover Swerdlow: > would be accelerated due to the presence of an atmosphere."
Nalys: - support the other. It was NOT a clean operation - And the Fleet could tell shuttles sometimes slam into their landing pads as bursts are miscalculated. Every departure risked destruction to the -
Kyhid Zohl: gives the affirmative as requests are being passed to him from both his own teams and updates from across the fleet
Nalys: - anomaly. In addition, the Anarhai was revealing a capability Starfleet files would not be aware of: That the vessel had at least some carrier capability.
Ezreli: What about a hardline?
Kee’ren: =C= “An actual pulling rope of a sort?”
Ezreli: No no, redirecting the transporter signal along a direct line instead of using the signal emitters.
Nalys: Aboard the station, Romulan engineering crews would shut down the station’s main power generator, working in tandem with their Andorian counterparts to keep life support functioning. But that would -
Nalys: - be about it
Ezreli: Planetary transporters are configured in a way, we might be able to adapt our own.
Passio: There’s a bit more commotion aboard the Dhae’Rhian. After a moment, there’s the clear sign of Passio relelnting to something. “We…might have a solution for analog craft, actually…”
Ezreli: It would prevent the signals interacting with the anomaly, but it would still be a large increase in power usage.
Awai: =Tarsus to fleet= I think if you postion several ships between the rescue vessels and the station in low power they will sheild the rings from the energy=
Kee’ren: =C= “Lower energy consumption and thus attraction, but it would be packed in a tighter volume. Thus energy density would be increased. But it is worth trying. Tarsus, what is your estimation?”
Kyhid Zohl: ’s Science officer reports in. They’ve been carefully studying the data flows received from the Anarhai, the Tarsus and indeed many of the nearby ships. They wish to address the fleet. Zohl nods.
Kyhid Zohl: ‘s Chief Science Officer speaks to the fleet. "Having assessed multiple data vectors, and confirming the Tarsus’ findings that the belt’s ice is in fact amplifying the wave patterns, we suggest +
Awai: =C= Thats close to our thoughts, Using the extra ships as “heat sinks” if you will.
Kyhid Zohl: .. a targetted disruption approach is employed across the belt itself. If we can disrupt the amplification, the waves will settle… at least in theory. "
Nalys: =C= The only alternative is that your ships form around us and use your shield harmonics to shield us while we’re beaming. Since beaming neccecitates the lowering of the shields..
Ezreli: Captain Swerdlow, could you separate the Frunze? If two of the sections could cover both sides, that might be a suitable shielding cover.
Kee’ren: =C= “Tarsus, according to your simulations, what would happen if a ship shot a burst of anti-tetryon particles at this subspace phenomemnon?”
Awai: =unknown but probably NOT good. we’re getting serious scan scatter from the rings right now. I’m afraid of how that would react =c=
Kee’ren: =C= “Very well. We will not commence our own calculations then.”
Grover Swerdlow: =C= "Aegis, I believe our science team have figured out a breakthrough in shielding from the gravitonic effects of this phenomenon. Frunze shall move to shield both sides, as requested.
Ezreli: Acknowledged, moving in to hardline with the station.
Grover Swerdlow: *As the ship’s sections separate and place themselves at the appropriate locations, Swerdlow continues to explain the hypothesis. "Since we are dealing with gravitons, Frunze’s science team >
Grover Swerdlow: > postulates that creating an alternating warp-bubble of opposing chirality to the graviton waves emitted will shield us from harm."
Grover Swerdlow: “The tidal forces shall be counteracted in this case.”
Nalys: “Just signal whenever you are ready, then any willing cna assist in beaming out the survivors. I imagine the fleet can deal with the disturbance itself.”
Kee’ren: =C= “Frunze, what you describe is almost like a Caitian splashing in bathtub.”
Passio: Passio perks up upon hearing the explanation. “WAIT. We might be able to do that! Tick! TIIIICCCKKK!!!” She slams the ship comms button as hard as she can as she shouts the name. ->
Kee’ren: =C= "However, our Astronomy department agrees with you assessment. As to alternating warp bubble, we think we would need at least two warp cores working in sync to get this oppossing chirality effect.
Ezreli: That’s brilliant, that should shield the most intense effects at a given chirality. What if a symetrical wave hits?
Kyhid Zohl: can’t help but smile as he overhears on open comms the theories and potential actions being proposed from across the fleet. He continues to be preoccupied with Andoria Planetary & SF Commands
Nalys: “Evacuation approximately five percent complete, several hundred families have been evacuated..Several thousand left to go. In other words, any way to speed this up would be appreciated.”
Awai: =C= Tarsus to Frunze Captain that should allow for some use of transporters, we believe, but let us move the ship between you and the rings first =c=
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Perhaps. With proper preparation, even the caitian may splash in the water.” The captain responds completely seriously. "As for the symmetrical wave issue, I believe Liberty’s astronomy >
Passio: -> She shouts again. “No, we don’t! That’s kinda…sorta…ish, how our High-Impact Particle Cannons work!” She listens to something coming through her ship’s local comms. “Tick says he wants to try!”
Ezreli: Aegis is docking now. Anarhai, I’m having my engineer forward on some schematics that might allow your transporters to be configured in the same way. I propose you dock to our starboard…
Ezreli: …collar and use your transporters. The Aegis will act essentially as a giant transporter buffer, that should hopefully dissipate some of the energy output as well.
Grover Swerdlow: > department has the right idea. Two warp-cores working in tandem could, in theory, cancel out the effects of a symmetrical wave, should one erupt."
Ezreli: Excellent!
Nalys: “Not that I disagree, but why is docking required for the specifications? Surely you do not intend to transmit them via carrier pidgeon?”
Kee’ren: =C= “Liberty does have two warp cores, one in stardrive and one in saucer section. If we make a separation of the vessel, we might be able to compensate.”
Ezreli: We’re using a hardline transporter to minimise the emission effects.
Ezreli: We’re linking pad directly to pad
Awai: Tarsus moves into a spot to monitor the rings at close range.
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Acknowledged, Liberty. Science suggests to entangle the core controls directly to prevent latency issues between the two warp-cores.”
Kee’ren: Liberty moves above the pole of Andoria.
Nalys: =C= Do we have a plan and is everyone quite ready, then? I should like to cease losing shuttles to these pulsing deliveries"
Awai: =C= Tarsus to fleet, Can I get someone, to move up and out from the fleet, If we gotta go in a hurry we’re going to loose the scanning arrray, I’ll need some eyes to guide us, =c=
Ezreli: =C= We have the plan, can you make the transporter modifications?
Kee’ren: =C= “Dhae’Rhian, you could assist us and Tarsus being the middle man.”
Passio: “We should be able to manage that, yes.”
Grover Swerdlow: =C= “Dhae’Rhian.” Grover responds, though with a pause to make sure he pronounced it correctly. "I am unfamiliar with Romulan singularity cores. Do they have the capability of generating >
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Tarsus, this is Tykera. We will take over secondary scanning per your protocols =C=
Grover Swerdlow: > gravitational and anti-gravitational bubbles?"
Kee’ren: =C= “By proceeding to our previous position. With our position above the planetary pole, we are partially blocked from the rest of the task group.”
Awai: =c= Tarsus copies, Be advised for the moment the rings are stable, angry, but stable =c=
Nalys: =C= “Please let me know, clearly, when you are ready.”
Passio: “Kinda, yeah. Tick could explain better than me, but our cannons use graviton fields to fling stuff at warp speed. Or near enough, anyway.” ->
Ezreli: =C= Commander of the Anarhai, We are going to be ready once you have confirmed your vessel has reconfigured its transporters for a hardline connection.
Passio: -> “Tick’s pretty sure he could get them to shift the fields in a way to create the shielding you’re suggesting.”
Awai: =C= I would suggest you focus soley on evacuation at the moment, we are monitoring things.
Nalys: *Assuming all of the calculations were complete, the Anarhai eventually drifts forth. Docking with the Aegis proves a bit clumsy, as Romulan vessels dont use the same docking ports, but a bit of -
Nalys: - clever engineering makes it work. Once done, the vessel’s shields lower, and it begins to beam survivors to it’s massive bulk, as well as the Aegis’s. Progress is-…Still slow, in truth. But faster
Ezreli: We’ve expanded the pattern buffers as far as we can, we’re failing them over in turn, but the maintenance cycles are taking time.
Kyhid Zohl: | The ships nearest the belt and station move into action. Warp cores flare in sequence, each ship linking its field into the next, a chain of stabilisation bubbles forms across the rings.
Kyhid Zohl: | The graviton waves slam against the warp fields, but are forced to refract outward, bleeding their strength harmlessly into open space and back to the gas giant.
Kyhid Zohl: | Within the calmer pocket, the transporter chain locks on. Hardlines and shuttle repeaters hum, signal weaving from ship to ship. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Hundreds of lifesigns now flicker through buffers, then resolve aboard the waiting vessels. The first cheers rise across the comms. The rescue is working +
Kyhid Zohl: | The station still groans under stress but stabilises as the effect of the waves dissapate and silence….
Nalys: *The Anarhai’'s crew is visibly busy on sensors. Engineer and medical teams filter into the station, rendering aid and working to keep the station from collapsing while the Federation fleet is on its-
Kyhid Zohl: | What had been violent surges settle into faint ripples across the icy belts… like a pond finally calming after stones have been thrown. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Sensor scans pierce the quiet at last. Beneath the cloud tops of the gas giant, a gravitic anomaly pulses.. an unstable subspace bubble lodged within the atmosphere. An object!
Kyhid Zohl: | The object’s profile is unfamiliar to Starfleet and others’ archives, but it winks out of existence as if teleported elsewhere once observed.
Awai: begins scanning the subspace bubble as fast as it can
Kyhid Zohl: | A new tide, this time of warp flashes, streak into the system. Dozens and dozens of Starfleet ships emerge, the 14th Fleet fanning into orderly formation above Andoria.
Kee’ren: =C= “Liberty to Task Group. Was anyone able to get a scan on that object?”
Nalys: - way. Meanwhile, shuttle traffic decreases as survivors are beamed aboard the warbird , and any other vessels willing to help (Aegis?).*
Ezreli: The strain on the Aegis’ systems begin to show as the nacelles begin to dim, followed by her impulse engines.
Awai: =c= "Aye we’re on it, and processing it at the moment, Its entirely new to our catalog!
Kee’ren: =C= "We only got a glimpse of it. Perhaps we can get a partial reconstruction by joining scans together… though I must say, considering how the object acted and reacted, it leaves an impression of++
Kee’ren: ++a silent weapon."
Awai: =c= sends the date to the liberty first =C= Captain that had a rather rapid exit velocity, we’re tracking it now, stand by =c=c
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Yes, I couldn’t concur with you more Liberty, this does feel like a.. " Zohl is cut off by a fleet-wide hail. It is Admiral Holleth of the 14th Fleet.
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= This is Admiral Holleth of the 14th Fleet to all vessels in system. Your actions have held the line until we could arrive. You prevented.. more disaster today. +
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= We are assuming primary rescue and stabilisation duties. All civilian evacuations will be coordinated through my flagship. +
Awai: =C= Tarsus to fleet =c=
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Remain on station until relieved. Your ships and crews will be commended for their service here. Without you, Andor would be mourning far more. =C=
Nalys: =C= Excellent. We can begin transfer of the civillians to 14′th vessels as soon as they are within transporter range."
Kee’ren: =C= “Tarsus, thank you for the information. I suggest our Stellar Cartography experts meet with the Admiral’s task group.”
Awai: *starts sending the information out to all ships
Awai: ** Data dump info, Its potentially biological, Fast moving and heading at a good rate toward the arucanis arm88
Ezreli: Aegis restores power after the transports cease “Aegis to Fleet, looks like we won’t be using our transporters for a while, good job everybody.”
Kyhid Zohl: | On the quieter fleet channels, fragments of data now circulate: an unknown construct, possibly biological, last seen racing toward the Arucanis Arm. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The system breathes easier, but the captains who answered first know the storm has only been delayed. Somewhere beyond the gas giant, the mystery endures… for another time.

nynik

‘A Princely Discovery’

In the dust of a forgotten frontier moon, multiple Starfleet captains answer a single call for help. What they find is no ordinary survivor, but a royal heir marked for death by his own kin. Caught between duty and conscience, the captains must face a hostile situation, fractured loyalties, and the shadow of a rising power that will not let him go.

Session Transcript (Part 1)

Kyhid Zohl: | Multiple Federation starships answer the beacon, their warp signatures fading into orbit above a barren, dust-veiled moon on the frontier.
Kyhid Zohl: | The distress call has led them all here; for a crippled shuttle lies amid shattered stone outcroppings and the half-buried remains of some forgotten outpost. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Its hull still smoulders where it tore through the thin atmosphere. Coordinates lock; an away team shimmers into being on the surface together, the air dry and thin, the horizon +
Kyhid Zohl: | .. is hazy as a strong sun bears down upon them. It wasn’t possible to transport closer. The only sound is the wind scratching across metal wreckage in the distance.
Kyhid Zohl: | Ahead, the wreckage of the shuttle (more of a small ship really) is visible. Faint life-signs flickers within… +
Kyhid Zohl: | … and with it, the mystery of why so many ships have been summoned to one lone cry for help unfolds…
Kyhid Zohl: Captains, others… our various teams are looking for these life signs… perhaps we should follow these readings?
Felenn: scans for possible Frank Herbert monstrosities in the sand.
Grover Swerdlow: breathes in the dry air and takes note of the smoldering sun. His skin is a little more reflective than is standard for Humans, suggesting some kind of UV protection.
Eulalia: “We better be.” respond a feminine voice who get out a tricorder, before walking.
Felenn: scans the environment with a tricorder.
Felenn: preps his phaser after scanning the environment.
Kyhid Zohl: Why does it always have to be desert… Zohl is seen walking, but uncomfortably so as there is likely sand in his boot
Kyhid Zohl: adjusts tricorder, scanning the nearing frame of the ship as the group advances
Kosarah Mr’ol: Plenty of scorpions.
Felenn: Almost like on Nimbus III.
Grover Swerdlow: takes out a phaser, remaining vigilant for any danger.
Kyhid Zohl: Hull composition is thicker than a shuttle. This is more like a courier craft. Whoever was aboard meant to travel far.
Felenn: “A private cutter?!”
Grover Swerdlow: “Any indication as to what caused it to crash?”
Eulalia: “Or someone important.” She keep her phaser on hand, looking at the wreckage.
Eulalia: look for phaser or disruptors impact on the hull, but also signs of malfunctions…
Kosarah Mr’ol: looks over the Wreckage for what could have caused the shuttle crashed.
Kyhid Zohl: | The ground trembles beneath the party’s boots as scorpion-like creatures emerge and attack. They easily keep them at bay, but are reminded that this world is not so hospitable.
Felenn: “There are no FTL disruptive anomalies in vicinity of this planetary system, so I will have assume the vessel was chased and shot down.”
Grover Swerdlow: “Or perhaps sabotaged from within?”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Could have been a simple Malfunction…”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Lets keep the speculation to a minimum.”
Kyhid Zohl: | A faint hiss carries on the wind from a ruptured conduit in the wreckage, now that they close in. Lights flicker dimly within a section, a suggestion of activity holding on despite the crash.
Grover Swerdlow: took out a tricorder with his left hand and set it to scan for lifeforms in the vicinity of the group.
Eulalia: Yes!
Eulalia: agrees with Grover Swerdlow.
Grover Swerdlow: “Several faint humanoid lifesigns inside the wreck.”
Felenn: vigilantly observes their surroundings, ocassionally checking his tricorder.
Eulalia: “I think someone - Perfect!”
Grover Swerdlow: tweaks his tricorder while the others keep guard, trying to home in on the humanoids to figure out more about their condition.
Kyhid Zohl: looks around, unsure if any of their number were trained in medicine
Grover Swerdlow: scans the environment with a tricorder.
Kyhid Zohl: We may need to call in our field teams if we do find survivors.
Grover Swerdlow: enters data into his tricorder.
Kyhid Zohl: Though the engine core still seems somewhat active… it must be the reason for the initial transport inhibition
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Heroditus’s sick bay’s already on standby if we need to evacuate anyone.”
Eulalia: “Luckily, my away team have one trained in. Perfect for the Heroditus.”
Zacariah: “Possibly. I’ve a number of robotics I could summon, but sadly none are partifularly medically skilled.”
Felenn: “Hmmm.”, he hmms while looking around.
Grover Swerdlow: “It is likely that they are injured, possibly critically. We must act quickly.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Agreed.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Ahead, the wreck looms larger with each step. Its battered frame leans against a rocky slope, hull plates warped and scorched. +
Grover Swerdlow: began stepping off the small dune, still checking if his tricorder gave any indication of the condition of the humanoids.
Eulalia: “We need an engineer to repair and safely disable the engine core… then to beam them out in the Heroditus sick bay.”
Kyhid Zohl: | A narrow incline rises toward a bent hatch, its edges glowing faintly where anti-fire suppression systems release foam. The gap is wide enough for entry, though jagged metal protrudes.
Grover Swerdlow: “Since beam-in next to the wreck has been impossible, we may wish to beam in medical teams now.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: pulls out her Diagnostics Tricorder and keeping it on passive scans.
Zacariah: “Consider the engine disabled.”
Kyhid Zohl: I’m detecting an opening up this incline
Eulalia: Yes!
Eulalia: agrees with Zacariah.
Kyhid Zohl: | The closer the party draws, the more the vessel’s scale becomes apparent. What first seemed a shuttle is clearly larger indeed, though its form is mangled and hard to place. +
Kosarah Mr’ol: checks her tricorder.
Kyhid Zohl: | Hull sections have buckled, some sheared away entirely. “Was all this caused by impact do you think?” Zohl asks nobody in particular.
Felenn: scans for energy fire on the hull.
Grover Swerdlow: pressed on his combadge to open a channel. “Swerdlow to Frunze. Prepare a shuttle for medical teams to arrive at my location. Standby for my order.”
Grover Swerdlow: activates his combadge.
Felenn: “I am picking up some residual plasma signarutes across the hull, consistent with weapons fire, few hours old. However, it will require closer inspection to determine the exact type of weapon.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Looks like a Malfunctioning drive core made worse by Combat. As well let me check the engines.”
Kyhid Zohl: Weapons fire… so we could be looking at the result of a combat situation.
Kosarah Mr’ol: using her tricorder she scans for the status of the ship engines.
Felenn: looks to Kosarah. “A vessel already in bad shape being shot down?”
Kyhid Zohl: Can anyone determine the make of the vessel? I’m having a hard time myself
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Looks that way, this scan should say how the engines where holding up.”
Kyhid Zohl: … and it’s been mangled so badly
Zacariah: “It doesn’t seem particularly familiar, even beyond the damage.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Could be a Smuggler vessel, those ship are usually custom built.”
Felenn: “Interstellar power we haven’t encountered yet.”, he nods to Zacariah. “This will be rather interesting.”
Zacariah: “Indeed. Though hopefully not too interesting…”
Eulalia: look at the ship, her eyes squiting a little, inquisitive.
Kosarah Mr’ol: “These engines are old, they where on the verge of failure.”
Grover Swerdlow: followed up on his request for a medical shuttle to be prepared. “Swerdlow to bridge. Begin scans for warp trails in the system.”
Eulalia: I think I can help with that, just some seconds..
Kyhid Zohl: turns to the intelligence officer among them… a strange participant for a rescue mission
Felenn: looks around again, waving his phaser towards the distance. “I do hope we won’t have to stun anyone if it is a smuggler vessel.”
Eulalia: approach the “shuttle” now small vessel, looking intensively. “The faded markings on the vessel belong to Vethari Dominion. Not well know, frontier of Federation space…”
Grover Swerdlow: returns to his usual tone, indicating he has ceased handing orders to his ship’s crew. “I advise that we pick up speed. We do not yet know the condition of the survivors.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: adjusts her scan trying to pick up the hull composition and cross reference with the Starfleet database for any familiar ships that match the hull composition.
Eulalia: “They are also very protective of their royalty and their bloodline.”
Felenn: “Venthari Dominion. Never heard of them.”, he tells to Eulalia.
Grover Swerdlow: takes out his tricorder again, continuing to scan for humanoids and trying to figure where exactly they are.
Eulalia: “They generally don’t try to make themselves know to us.” Nodding to Felenn, in a polite smile.
Eulalia: “Meeting them is a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.”
Kyhid Zohl: The Vethari… yes, I seem to recall their mentioning but I can’t say I know much. Trust intelligence to know more zohl smiles as they approach the opened hatch
Felenn: “I see.”, he says and looks at the hull. “How are technologically speaking, compared to Federation?”
Eulalia: nod again. The black lines on her uniform told everyone her Intelligence affiliation, if that wasn’t the perpetual confident and calm expression of her face.
Grover Swerdlow: thinned his lips, finding the nonchalance for what could very well be a number of dying people. “Finding the survivors and rendering aid should be our top priority at this moment.”
Eulalia: “They are behind us, technologically. Not that much. Warp 6,5.”
Felenn: “Those Old Scientists period for comparison.”, he nods, and then turns to Swerdlow. “Indeed, Captain, you are correct.”
Kyhid Zohl: | At the edge of the smashed open hatch, Grover’s tricorder hums, its sensors sweeping through the inside more easily now. The readout flickers +
Zacariah: “Settle yourself, Captain Swerdlow. We must ascertain some level of what to expect inside the vessel before venturing to retrieve those trapped within.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Two humanoid lifesigns register deeper inside the craft, faint but steady.
Eulalia: “Normally, their hulls and shields are very reinforced, comparable to Kobali, altought Kobali are ahead… They prefer to keep alive everyone.” She nod to Felenn “So it’s expected…”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Kobali?”
Kyhid Zohl: | Their readings are consistent with Vethari physiology. Residual heat traces mark the hatch itself, suggesting it was forced open not shorn off in the crash. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Whoever moved through here left only moments before the party’s arrival.
Eulalia: “Another small power that prefer survivability over elegance.. simple comparison.” then she mark a little pause. And continue. “Someone left them behind.”
Grover Swerdlow: speaks up as he stowed his phaser for a moment. “Readings indicate two survivors. Stable.” The captain spoke authoritatively, then continued. "Be vigilant, we are not the only ones to visit this >
Kyhid Zohl: studies the heat traces around the hatch as Grover speaks, connecting the dots equally.
Grover Swerdlow: > wreck." And with that he pocketed his tricorder and took out his phaser.
Kosarah Mr’ol: Begins to scan different sections of the wreckage hoping to get enough information to allo the tricorder to build a recreation of the downed vessel.
Zacariah: “Allow me, Captain.” He turns to the drone accompanying him. “Master drone, your replicators, if you may.”>
Zacariah: > Suddenly, three insectoid drones appear next to Zacariah. “My Hunters specialize in tracking and retrieval. I’m sure they can find the location of our wayward fellows.”
Felenn: kneels down, making a defensive position for him and the group.
Kyhid Zohl: Good thinking; some of you let’s organise the search for the survivors, while the others, let’s see if we can’t get this engine cooled and allow for beam ins
Grover Swerdlow: “Quite useful.”
Eulalia: “Impressive.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Hmm, this ship was modified to exceed it’s usual speed, this is looking more and more like a smuggler’s ship.”
Felenn: “Captain Zohl, I would be willing to assist in the engineering portion of the away team.”
Kyhid Zohl: I thought you might Ensign.
Eulalia: “I’ll assist the rescue, in that case.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “I can assist with the engineering teams.”
Grover Swerdlow: pressed on his combadge, speaking up once again: “Swerdlow to medical teams. Home in on my coordinates and land nearby.” He then pressed on the combadge again to deactivate.
Kyhid Zohl: | The decision is made; the party divides its strength. One team prepares to push into the darkened corridors to reach the lifesigns within ++
Kyhid Zohl: | … while the other moves aft toward the twisted engine housing where interference is blocking transporter bands, and also presenting a danger of explosion.
Felenn: holsters his phaser and looks across the pouches on his bandolier, equipped with some basic field engineering tools.
Kyhid Zohl: | Smoke fills the interior, acrid with burned plasma. The party don breathing devices. Inside, corridors lean at sharp angles, lit only by failing emergency strips. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The faint pulse of lifesigns beckons deeper in. Toward the rear, the engine section spits sparks into the dust. Its warped conduits thrum with unstable energy, disrupting tricorder signals. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Panels glow intermittently, like a dying heartbeat, and each surge sends static crackling through comms.
Kosarah Mr’ol: swaps to her Diagnostics tricorder ensuring that the risk of EPS ruptures is low before the team proceeds cautiously.
Zacariah: “Hm…the interference presents an issue. I don’t believe I’ll have any more access to the Master Drone’s fabrication abilities from here…”
Felenn: turns to Kosarah. “Well, Captain, please lead the way and point the paw, and I’ll fix whatever can be fixed.”, he nods.
Eulalia: is typically professionnal during the rescue mission, and also particularly stealthy. It’s obvious from Intelligence, but she’s used to R&D operations..
Grover Swerdlow: sets his phaser on maximum stun with a few pushes of a button, then heads further inside the wreck. He is careful in turning corners, using standard Starfleet technique for clearing.
Felenn: “By the Sages…”, he sighs. “I await the future in which plasma is not used as propulsion component.”
Kyhid Zohl: is careful not to step on any exposed conduits while they enter the core chamber. He wasn’t an engineer, but he thought it best to acompany those who were just in case they may not be alone
Kosarah Mr’ol: “We need to release some of that Plasma build up… preferably safely and slowly.”
Zacariah: “Eagerly…” He moves forward, having his drone attempt fire suppression where it can.
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Is there a way to vent the plasma out into the area outside…”
Kyhid Zohl: It would sure give those scorpions some pay back
Kyhid Zohl: tries to make an awkward joke
Kosarah Mr’ol: begins scanning for a way to release the plasma safely without incenerating everyone.
Felenn: “If there are conduits moving away from us… yes, I think I can reroute. Or attempt to shut down the plasma catalysation system, provided it is still operational.”

— continued in part 2 —

nynik

Session Transcript (Part 2)

Grover Swerdlow: draws a mental map of the wreck as he continues delving inwards. The Captain focuses his attention on clearing rooms properly and noting any signs of struggle or salvaging by whomever was before >
Grover Swerdlow: > them.
Kyhid Zohl: approaches a wall mounted console, one of many. He tries to access some data, but the power is shifting on and off. He tries to connect his tricorder to serve as a bridging battery to keep things o
Eulalia: follow, all the way in a discret fashion, phaser in hand. Fast and efficient, she try to understand what happened in the wreckage.. and identify the elements. She quickly regroup with others .
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Oh… This isn’t going to be fun… There are sequence valves over there… releasing the valves in the right order will safely release the Plasma.. Get the sequence wrong and it’s going to get hot.”
Zacariah: “Wonderful. Any hints as to the order which doesn’t deep fry the ship?”
Felenn: looks to Kosarah’s tricorder. “Splendid.”, he says, frowning. “I suppose the usual mathematical sequence will not work.”
Felenn: “It would have to be something easily remembered by the ship’s engineer. Some Starfleet vessels use their NCC registry to derive the right sequence.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: Begins to scan the pipes looking for clues in the way the pipes are structured.
Kyhid Zohl: | The rescue team moves carefully, clearing each leaning compartment in turn. A sound breaks the silence ahead… the scrape of movement, heavy and deliberate. The closer lifesign flickers +
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Lets see if we can map these pipes.”
Kyhid Zohl: | … stronger on their tricorders, just beyond the next hatch maybe.
Kosarah Mr’ol: “That should give us a clearer picture of things.”
Felenn: “I will link my tricorder with yours do get a better stereometric distribution of the pipe system.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Good idea.”
Zacariah: “I’ll take a look at some of their data tablets. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that engineers are all too keen to write things like this down…”
Eulalia: direct herself toward the lifesign, beyond the hatch, but without forgetting security : phaser set to stun, hand on it…
Felenn: links his tricorder to Kosarah’s and takes 4-5 steps away from the Caitian.
Kyhid Zohl: | As the rescue team advance, a shadow shifts in the dim light ahead of them. A figure emerges from the smoke, armour scorched and arm braced against the wall. Clearly injured.
Kyhid Zohl: | <Man> Halt! Identify yourselves, or you will go no further.
Grover Swerdlow: takes immediate cover behind something that could protect from a phaser beam. He keeps his senses trained to listen for any actions by the man. "I am Captain Grover Swerdlow of the U.S.S. Frunze. >
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Whilst you’re looking through the Data pads, can you see if you can find a plasma preassure guage or something?”
Eulalia: respond with honesty, and a little bit brutality, althought the seductive voice is tailored to diplomacy and reassuring. “You are too dazed to act. We are Starfleet, here to rescue you.”
Grover Swerdlow: > I represent the United Federation of Planets. We are here to render aid. Please stow your weapon."
Eulalia: “Captain Eulalia Yin Mengyao. U.S.S. Nightbird.” Saying that, she quickly see the conduit. But in a way to not alert anyone else. Her phaser ready if something happen…
Zacariah: “I can, yes. Though I do wish these were worded less like my sister wrote them…”
Kyhid Zohl: | The engine core starts to rumble, as if the feedback loop is worsening… almost like sabotage
Kyhid Zohl: | Time is running short to vent the plasma
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Bugger, we might need to wing it as the humans say.”
Kyhid Zohl: | (rescue team) The man steadies his stance, breath ragged and eyes burning with suspicion. The barrel of his weapon trembles slightly, though whether from blood loss or restraint is unclear.+
Kyhid Zohl: | “Starfleet… I should strike you where you stand. You have no right in this place, no claim to our blood. Yet…if you meant us harm, you would not have come through fire and wreck to reach me”+
Felenn: scans the pipe system for a while longer. “Well, the stereometric distrubtion scan is not over, but I think we might get the general idea of sequence.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The man lowers the weapon a fraction. “The prince lives. I will take you to him, but know this: one false move, and your rescue ends with my blade in your throat.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Alright Ensign,monitor the preasure we’ll have to do this as we go do you have the first one in the sequence?”
Grover Swerdlow: notifies the man: “We indeed mean no harm, but rather the opposite. We have medical teams on their way to render aid for your wounds.” He stows his weapon as well, as a sign of trust, and comes >
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: zzzZZZzzz…
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: slumbers peacefully.
Kosarah Mr’ol: rolls up her sleaves and aproaches the pipe system setting her Tricorder to try and calculate the sequence.
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: ugggghhhh
Grover Swerdlow: of cover. Upon seeing the body, he looks to the man. “Are you capable of carrying the prince?” He asked with a hint of skepticism, though not wanting to overstep boundaries.
Eulalia: Nod toward Grover and the Venthari. She quickly follow him, bringing out her tricorder and be assured of his statut. “My comrade is right. Medical treatment is on the way, I am checking.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The man holds his weapon low but ready, he’s a guard clearly… His stride is uneven, but he pushes forward with grim resolve, encouraging the rescue team to approach.
Zacariah: “HERE. Finally, Elements I cannot stand these writings,” He clears his throat. “First from your left, while standing centered and looking towards them.”
Felenn: joins Kosarah. “I am confident I know what is the first valve to select, yes. Please, monitor the plasma flow differentials as well as the absolute levels.”, he says to Kosarah and Zacariah.
Eulalia: “Do you wish to ask for asylum, to protect the prince once in security, the time we solve this affair?”
Kosarah Mr’ol: follows Zacariah’s suggestion.
Kyhid Zohl: | The guard explains how he has tried to evacuate the prince, but can not due to his own injuries. The prince also seems to be mostly okay, but has been knocked out; he’s coming too
Grover Swerdlow: “We are attempting to stabilize the engine, but we cannot guarantee success. In the event of failure, we would be wise to have evacuated you two. May I carry the prince?”
Kosarah Mr’ol: reaches for the indicated valve adjusting it “Alright, valve two.”
Grover Swerdlow: steps forward while still making sure the guard is alright with Grover’s presence.
Felenn: “Valve two… one moment, measuring the plasma flow levels.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The man on the ground wears fine attire, though they are now torn and ash-stained. Fine embroidery and jewelled clasps mark him as one of rank. He stirs with the conversation around him +
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: Starfleet… yes. I beg it. Grant me asylum. If I am returned, I will not live to see another dawn. My blood has been marked for death by my own kin.
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: Take me from this place. Whatever happens to my people, I will not be their pawn nor their sacrifice.
Zacariah: “Should those measurements confirm the sequencing, the next valve should be the one immediately to the right of the previous.”
Grover Swerdlow: noted the prince’s wishes and stepped forth once again, this time to pick him up in a bridal carry, mustering his strength to allow him to do so. "Politics later. We must first get you both to >
Grover Swerdlow: > safety." He said, then heaved the Prince up, attempting to pick him up from the ground.
Eulalia: “Then it shall be granted, your prince. We will understand the bottom of this, and bring asylum. For now.. we will guide you to safety.” nodding to Grover, while clearing the way.
Kosarah Mr’ol: reaches for the next valve in the sequence adjusting it accordingly. “Alright, that’s number two.”
Felenn: forwards his scans and calculations to Zacariah.
Kyhid Zohl: | As Grover bends to lift the prince, steel flashes in the half-light. The guard surges forward despite his wounds, a curved blade comes to rest at Grover’s throat +
Kyhid Zohl: | <Guard> “Put him down! You will not carry the heir of Vethar like common spoils. If he leaves this wreck, it will be by his own strength… or not at all.” +
Kyhid Zohl: | The guard’s face hardens, weapon unmoved. "No. This talk is madness. Your place is with your blood, with the Dominion. To seek asylum is to betray all that binds us. +
Kyhid Zohl: | “I swore my life to protect you, Highness… but I will not stand idle while you throw away your birthright.” His voice cracks with fury and desperation.
Grover Swerdlow: froze in place, slowly relaxing his muscles and letting go of the prince. He stood up, again, slowly, to make sure the guard is not frightened into attacking, but his tone changes significantly. >
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Do we have the next one in the sequence?”
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: sits down.
Grover Swerdlow: “If you wish to be able to change the Prince’s mind, you both must live. You may prevent the Prince from seeking asylum after you both are safe and sound.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: looks down at her tricorder hoping that her Tricorder has calculated another part of the sequence, it has and she reaches to open the next Valve in the sequence.
Zacariah: “Alright…it should be simple from here…” He lists the remaining valve sequence in the order stated on the display he’s holding.
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: Enough. You swore to guard my life, not to chain my will. If you would see me live, then honour your oath. I will not return to the Dominion to be slaughtered in silence.
Kosarah Mr’ol: systematical follows the remaining sequence displayed on the Pad,
Kosarah Mr’ol: That should do it.
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: Stand down my honourable friend. If you trust me, then walk beside me. If you do not… then know I will choose freedom even without your blade to clear the path.
Felenn: | As the feline Captain, aided by Zach and Fel, activates the next valve, her sensitive ears can hear a sequence of thrums, variable in pitch and intensity, reverbating throughout the outer hull of++
Felenn: vessel. Something, somewhere within the vessel, has changed its flow. The rescuers might also hear, even feel the mechanical vibrations of the plasma rerouting throughout the downed vessel, as the++
Felenn: flow through conduits reroutes itself away from them. The plasma catalysation system also deactivates. Plasma is still hot, but to a lesser degree and with lesser range of heat emission. |
Kyhid Zohl: | The prince pushes himself weakly upright, meeting the guard’s stare with surprising steel despite his wounds. His hand also goes to the blade and causes it to lower.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= "Rescue team, this is Captain Zohl. Engineering reports plasma flow has been partially stabilised. Heat signature is dropping, transporter interference reduced and will eventually clear. +
Kyhid Zohl: … Status on your end? =C=
Felenn: looks to Kos and Zach, nodding and offering one of those rare Jelna Rigelian smiles. “The engine system temperature is dropping, Captains.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Excellent news.”
Zacariah: breathes a sigh of relief. “Excellent. Hopefully the rescue team is having as much success.”
Kyhid Zohl: pats those around him on the shoulder in turn as he speaks on his combadge. He begins to navigate back towards the hatch and then beyond to where the rescue team have gone.
Grover Swerdlow: steps aside to allow the Prince to move towards the exit, though he would, of course, render aid if necessary. He looked to Eulalia, expecting her to respond to Zohl, while he pressed on his >
Kosarah Mr’ol: steps back from the pipes and rolls down her sleaves.
Eulalia: nod rspectfully to the prince.
Grover Swerdlow: > his combadge to contact the medical team. “Swerdlow to medical team, where are you? We have secured two survivors, conscious. Prepare for extraction as soon as you land.”
Eulalia: =C= Eulalia from the rescue team to engineering team. We have two survivors. The prince of the Venthari Dominion in person, and his guard. Complex situation in mind."
Grover Swerdlow: activates his combadge.
Felenn: looks to his tricorder (represented by the PADD). “I am also reading a significant drop in interferences.”
Eulalia: “We need immediate extraction as soon as we get out.”
Kosarah Mr’ol: =C= Copy that, rescue team. Radiation should be clear by the time we exit."
Kyhid Zohl: | A response crackles into life across the com as the Shuttle Shostakovich responds to their Captain’s hail. “On site in twenty seconds sir, we’ll be able to beam you out in about 120 seconds”
Kyhid Zohl: and the engineering team enter the chamber with the rescue team and survivors… clearly a tense situation yet exists… but why
Kyhid Zohl: | The guard’s shoulders sag as tension drains from the moment. Slowly, he lowers the blade from Grover entirely, though his knuckles stay white on the hilt. +
Kyhid Zohl: | His eyes linger on the prince, troubled, caught between duty and disbelief.
Kyhid Zohl: | "If this is truly your will my liege, then my oath binds me to you… not to the throne, nor the blood that betrayed it. I will stand by you, Highness. +
Eulalia: Yes!
Eulalia: agrees with Felenn.
Eulalia: “Welcome, engineering team. You have my thanks for saving that ship, until the beaming.”
Grover Swerdlow: nodded to himself, sighing in relief. “Very good. We are on our way outside.” He responded, then spoke up once again: "Swerdlow to Frunze, prepare to lock onto shuttle and beam them directly to >
Kosarah Mr’ol: “This seems like an interesting future report.”
Kyhid Zohl: | “But know that the path you choose will set us both against the Dominion itself.” He slips the knife back into its scabbard and his hands rest over his chest, a vow-making gesture
Grover Swerdlow: > sickbay as soon as lock is secured. Swerdlow out." He finished, then pressed on his combadge again. This time he lets out an even heavier sigh, rubbing his face as he does.
Grover Swerdlow: activates his combadge.
Felenn: nods to Eulalia. “Glad to be of assistance, but it was mostly Captains’ contribution.”
Eulalia: Yes!
Eulalia: agrees with Zacariah.
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: Your loyalty has never wavered… and now it may cost you all you swore to protect. But I accept it, and I thank you.
Zacariah: “Agreed. I had forgotten just how…much field work could be.”
Eulalia: “Good, good. We have here a very tense situation at hands, something we’ll take in hands matters.”
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: To those who come now, of Starfleet, know this: we did not fall by chance. We fled the Dominion under fire. Pursuit drove us into this system, and when we thought escape was at hand +
Kosarah Mr’ol: “Captains, we should leave. the area should be safe for beam out.”
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: … the saboteurs struck. They boarded us even after the crash. My guard cut them down at the hatch, held them off long enough to drive them back into the dust. The wreck you see is not only the work+
Prince Selnar ir’Vethis: … of weapons fire or failing systems, it was crafted by treachery from within. Yet with your aid, the path is open. If your transporters can now reach us, then let us leave this grave behind.
Felenn: bows to Prince Selnar ir’Vethis.
Eulalia: Yes!
Eulalia: agrees with Prince Selnar ir’Vethis.
Felenn: “Yes, I would like to avoid more scorpions. They are nasty.”
Kyhid Zohl: Captain Swerdlow, I believe your shuttle is on hand. Perhaps it can commence evac of our new friends.
Eulalia: “It confirm our theories… I am truly sorry. Swardlow, the honor is yours.”
Kyhid Zohl: Your Highness, you carry more than wounds from this crash. You carry truths your people would see buried. And we would know the full tale in due course.
Kyhid Zohl: Starfleet will see you safely away from here. What follows will not be easy… asylum never is. But you will have the chance to speak your story, and to choose your own path.
Eulalia: Yes!
Eulalia: agrees with Kyhid Zohl.
Eulalia: “We will prepare a conference room for when your health is checked.”
Grover Swerdlow: turned to the two survivors. “Yes, please board the shuttle. The medical team shall take care of you and you will be safe to consider your political requests.”
Grover Swerdlow: nodded as Eulalia said her words.
Kyhid Zohl: | With plasma flow stabilised and transporter locks restored, the wreck groans in silence as the away team gathers. The prince stands with the guard at his side, both worn but alive +
Felenn: “I think I will take some more scans of the vessel and then write up a report. I leave the politics to higher ups.”
Kyhid Zohl: | … their fate now tied to the captains who found them. A blue light rises, sweeping the group into shimmering columns. Dust, ruin, and broken alloy fall away, left behind. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Aboard their ships, the captains will face the storm of politics yet to come. For now, they carry with them a living heir, and the fragile hope of freedom he has claimed from a Dominion that he once thought to be his home.

nynik

‘The Measure of the Flame’

Starfleet officers are invited as honoured guests to Vulcan, where the seldom-seen rite of T’vhal’Tor will be observed overlooking the Fire Plains. Rooted in the Time of Awakening, the ceremony sees a flame lit within a sacred vessel as a symbol of balance… of passion contained, and logic sustained. However in the desert’s heat, what begins as a simple duty to bear witness to a lessor revisited part of Vulcan’s past, will give way to circumstances that neither passion nor logic alone can easily predict.

Session Transcript (Part 1)

Among the Stars - The Measure of the Flame

[Vulcan, near the Fire Plains]
Kyhid Zohl: | The transporter shimmer fades, leaving the captains on a stone landing at the base of a narrow mountain trail. Heat rises in steady waves from the nearby Fire Plains +
Kyhid Zohl: | The overlook they are going to lies further ahead, where the rite of T’vhal’Tor will be held high above the plains. They are here as official representatives of Starfleet. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Meeting them is another Captain Ohsala Rinn, a Bajoran/Vulcan. She stands by a Vulcan monk called Seran, whose handsare clasped behind his back, posture exact, expression composed +
Kyhid Zohl: | … in that way Vulcans favour when they have very clear thoughts they do not intend to share. Seran’s gaze moves across the away team in a precise sweep, then catches a moment longer on +
Kyhid Zohl: | … Zohl and Taral before moving on. “The officiant, T’Ruvan, is engaged in final preparation” Seran says to them all. “Your attendance is noted. Unusual, but noted.” +
Kyhid Zohl: | The tone is neutral on the surface, with a slight tightening at the edges that does not quite rise to impropriety, yet also never approaches warmth. +
Kyhid Zohl: | With a small tilt of the head, Seran turns toward the ascending path. Clearly not much for smalltalk.
Ohsala: evidently got here early; she’s already waiting at the rendezvous. As the group materializes, she inclines her head formally. “Captains. Welcome to Vulcan.” She’s able to at least match Seran’s +
Ohsala: reserve, but the air of impropriety is absent. She takes a few steps forward and looks ahead towards the path. “We are anticipated.”
Kyhid Zohl: Captain, a pleasure. Good to see a familiar face planetside. Vulcan always knows how to make an impact.
Sorek: Live Long and Prosper.
Sorek: gives a Vulcan Salute to Ohsala.
Ohsala: Live Long and Prosper.
Ohsala: gives a Vulcan Salute to Sorek.
Kyhid Zohl: gives Taral a glance as the Vulcans exchange their usual greetings
Kyhid Zohl: I expect others may feel likewise as I, in Starfleet’s invitation to observe such an ancient rite… quite a novel experience indeed.
Ohsala: matches the salute with practiced ease before giving Kyhid a quiet nod. She waits until Seran’s not looking before sharing a brief, secretive smile, but it’s gone pretty quickly as she sinks back+
Taral: doesn’t return the glance her gaze seem to be set on the middle distance. “It was an unexpected invitation.”
Sorek: “You honour us with Your invitation, Captain Ohsala. T’vhal’Tor is not often seen.”
Zacariah: I agree. The learning experience should prove interesting at the very least. Invaluable at most.
Ohsala: into expected Vulcan mannerisms. “It’s uncommon that these ceremonies are seen by outsiders, yes. I expect the reasons will become clear once we arrive.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran stops walking and nearby, hands clasped behind his back. He does not turn when he speaks “The officiant, T’Ruvan, is in preparation. Follow.”
Ohsala: indicates, “We shouldn’t keep the officiant waiting.” She turns to follow Seran.
Kyhid Zohl: Indeed
Taral: Let’s get moving, hopefully on a shaded route.
Kyhid Zohl: turns about and starts up the path, following Seran. “Looks like we’re earning the view today”
Kyhid Zohl: | As the officers ascend, the path reveals to a view of the Fire Plains. Below, rivers of heat shimmer across blackened stone +
Kyhid Zohl: | Faint plasma discharges crawling lazily along fault lines that once tore the surface apart. The instability is still there, but muted, contained, disciplined by centuries of +
Kyhid Zohl: | … Vulcan planetary regulation. It is dangerous only in memory now, a landscape preserved as much for history as for the hazard. +
Kyhid Zohl: | As a Ferengi once remarked, the Fire Plains remain unstable these days “largely for the benefit of the tourists” only.
Taral: the Aenar’s gaze remains on the middle distance, apparently not acknowledging the veiw at all.
Kyhid Zohl: takes the opportunity to pause alongside a group of attending vulcans. From here the view is spectacular across the valley
Ohsala: doesn’t seem phased by the temperature. “The sun isn’t the heat you have to worry about.” She gestures out to the blackened web of fiery channels below.
Sorek: lets out a discreet sigh.
Kyhid Zohl: taps a small cooling aid at his belt. "“At least I came prepared. It will not last long, but I am hopeful it endures for the duration of the rite.” He looks to Taral to see if she also took the aid
Kyhid Zohl: | The path finally levels out, stone giving way to a broad overlook carved into the mountainside. What seemed empty from below reveals itself all at once… a vast natural arena, carved from +
Kyhid Zohl: | … dark rock, opening out over the Fire Plains. Thousands of Vulcans stand in ordered ranks along the arena’s many tiers, their robes blending into the stone. +
Kyhid Zohl: | They are characteristically silent, attentive and very patient in the heat. They have gathered long before the officer’s arrival, waiting for the rite to begin.
Ohsala: keeps her reserve under the attentive eyes of more Vulcans than she’s been in a room with for a solid decade. She folds her hands behind her, attentive to the officiant.
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran guides them along the upper edge of the arena toward a raised stone platform set apart from the crowd. At its centre stands a dark metal vessel, unlit, surrounded by +
Kyhid Zohl: | …carefully inscribed markings worn smooth by age. Waiting beside it is T’Ruvan. The officiant inclines his head in formal acknowledgement as they approach.
Officiant T’Ruvan: Representatives of Starfleet, you are acknowledged. Your presence here is by invitation of the High Council and permitted for the purposes of observation.
Officiant T’Ruvan: The rite you will witness is ancient and precise. I trust that you will conduct yourselves with the same discipline and restraint it requires.
Zacariah: Of course.
Kyhid Zohl: You have our assurance, Officiant. We are here to observe, to respect your traditions, and to offer aid only if it is required.
Sorek: just nods to T’Ruvan, saying nothing.
Ohsala: inclines her head, deferential and respectful. She too says nothing. She’s Vulcan enough to know filling the space with words is illogical.
Officiant T’Ruvan: inclines his head in return to them all. Their assurances are accepted without comment, his attention already turning to the unlit vessel at the centre of the platform.
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran steps forward, gesturing for the Starfleet officers to follow. He leads them a short distance along the platform to a designated section set slightly apart from the gathered Vulcans
Kyhid Zohl: | As they take their places, the vast arena settles into an even deeper stillness, all eyes now drawn toward the flame that has yet to be kindled.
Officiant T’Ruvan: steps forward to the edge of the platform. He rests one hand upon the rim of the dark vessel, fingers splayed against the cool metal. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: Brothers. Sisters. Offworlders. We gather at this height to separate ourselves from the noise of the plains below. Not to escape instability, but to acknowledge it.
Officiant T’Ruvan: pauses. His eyes lifting toward the horizon where heat shimmers above the Fire Plains, then returning to the vessel.
Officiant T’Ruvan: The rite of T’vhal’Tor is not a display. It is an exercise in balance, conducted without haste, without excess, and without fear.
Officiant T’Ruvan: | The crowd remains utterly still, thousands of eyes fixed on the platform. Vulcans do not often assemble in such numbers these days, with rites seen as falling out of favour increasingly. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: The flame you are about to witness is contained by design. It is neither challenge nor test, but a reminder. Even forces that once defined this world can be held in equilibrium +
Officiant T’Ruvan: … when approached with discipline. Attend closely. Observation, when done correctly, is itself a form of participation. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: adjusts a control at the base of the vessel, the mechanism ancient in appearance yet clearly maintained with care. A faint hum begins to build.
Ohsala: settles into not just silence, but near-total stillness. Her expression of clinical interest is remarkably akin to the rest of the audience as the mechanism hums to life.
Officiant T’Ruvan: | A thin line of light traces the inner rim of the vessel, growing brighter as contained plasma begins to rise from within. The flame takes shape slowly. +
Sorek: observers with unhidden anticipation. There is an air of discreet excitement around him. Taral would likely pick up on it first.
Officiant T’Ruvan: Thus begins T’vhal’Tor. Balance is not achieved through force, but through understanding the limits of what must be contained.
Zacariah: ’s eyes narrow with curiosity at the machine, but he makes no move or outburst. Simply waiting and examining the device as the ritual unfolds.
Kyhid Zohl: watches the flame with a steady, appraising gaze “Controlled… but not passive. Interesting.”
Taral: Whilst she doesn’t look at the [recise location of the ritual, a look of focus does crosses her face, Taking in every sound she is able too over the roar of the fire planes below.
Sorek: rolls 83 (1-100)
Zacariah: rolls 83 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: rolls 59 (1-100)
Ohsala: rolls 31 (1-100)
Taral: rolls 20 (1-100)
Sorek: rolls 2 (1-100)
Zacariah: rolls 49 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: | A subtle shift ripples through the officer’ awareness as Sorek’s attention sharpens, followed moments later by Zacariah’s
Sorek: frowns as his eyes run across the centre of plateau, from Seran to somewhere else and back.
Zacariah: ’s eyes narrow on two figures near Seran, fixed with a mix of curiosity and irritation. He’s hoping what he’s seeing is just a trick of his eyes…
Sorek: whispers. “Something is amiss.”
Ohsala: seems to miss that imperceptible shift. Some obscure inner focus has captured much of her attention, and she looks on with deliberately performed reserve - until Sorek speaks up. She blinks once.
Zacariah: whispers back. “Excellent, I wasn’t seeing things…” It’s said with an irritated sarcasm.
Kyhid Zohl: just quietly says “What’s that?”
Sorek: turns to Zac slightly. “I am unsure what, however, is wrong.”
Kyhid Zohl: Wrong?
Ohsala: purses her lips. “What do you see?” she murmurs, leaning slightly to that Zacariah can hear her.
Zacariah: “It seems to my eye that the two individuals Seran is speaking to are not Vulcan. But as I am unaware of the nature of this ritual, I do not know whether this is wrong or simply odd.”
Taral: glances down the row of captains before reaching out with a telepathic request to briefly see through Sorek’s eyes
Officiant T’Ruvan: raises one hand, palm outward. The motion is small, but it carries across the arena with absolute clarity. Thousands straighten as one, breath drawn in quiet unison. Something is about to happen.
Officiant T’Ruvan: T’vhal tor… keth su’kahr.
Sorek: continues to whisper. “Two acolytes are… unusually green skinned. Very un-Vulcan green.”
Ohsala: has no telepathy to rely on, just captain’s instincts. She cranes her neck some to try and get a better look down towards Seran and his cohort. “Orion?” she breathes the question. “Or Romulan?”
Kyhid Zohl: | T’Ruvan’s words are taken up immediately by the crowd and repeated in low, measured voices by the masses. Not shouted, not sung, but intoned. It is the beginning of a chant.
Sorek: “I have not noticed any forehead features.”, he says, then turns to Taral and nods.
Sorek: nods physically and mindfully, reaching back to Taral.
Ohsala: has part of her attention on the ritual. “T’vhal tor… keth su’kahr,” she murmurs along with the crowd.
Taral: Temporarily borrow’s Soreks vision allowing her for the time being to see what he see’s.
Sorek: turns his gaze back to suspiciously looking acolytes.
Kyhid Zohl: | The chant rolls across the stone arena in steady waves, synchronised and very controlled. As it builds, the flame responds, its movement flicking, brightening, the contained plasma in sync
Ohsala: finds her focus steadily drawn back into the ritual. For all that she’s tried to run from her upbringing, the Vulcan part of her heart resonates with rites like this.
Kyhid Zohl: is unable to follow what’s being said, partly due to the chanting now a cacophony around him, but also his eyes are drawn to the flickering flame
Taral: Leaves Sorek’s vision be as she focuses her telepathy over the suspicious individuals quietly monitoring their emotional state. “Syndicate” She whispers quietly, “They bare the face markings.”
Zacariah: whispers to Taral, leaning in to do so. “Shall we intervene?”
Kyhid Zohl: | The exchange between Seran and the acolytes is hurried and chaotic. Words are shared and then the acolytes disperse, returning to their duties out of sight as if nothing of note had occurred.
Kyhid Zohl: | The timing, however, coincides precisely with the flame settling into its steady rhythm.
Officiant T’Ruvan: T’vhal tor… keth su’kahr.
Sorek: “Syndicate… The flame… it could be emitting something just beyond the usual visual range… an ocular version of Orion scents.”
Kyhid Zohl: ’s focus snaps from the flame to Taral and Zacariah in an instant as the word is mentioned. “Syndicate? Where?”
Ohsala: maintains the chant… but is ultimately jolted out of her focus by the whisper from Taral. She looks to the flame, watching with a different kind of intent this time - at the device.
Taral: Gestures subtly in the direction she remembers the suspicious pair being in.
Taral: “I can’t get a good read on their thoughts.”
Kyhid Zohl: | As the chant continues, a subtle change creeps through the overlook. The air thickens with particulate matter… ash. There is an increase in heat from all directions and a faint vibration +
Kyhid Zohl: | … is felt. The flame flickers more, its colour sharpening as the contained plasma begins to surge. Heat continues to bloom in waves across the arena. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Somewhere below, the Fire Plains answers with a low, distant crackle, as thin filaments of plasma jet upwards into the sky out of old fault lines that had moments ago seemed dormant.
Kyhid Zohl: | The arena remains chanting though the discipline falters. A tension rises among the observers, logic recognising deviation
Sorek: “The device… it is some kind of tectonic resonator.”, he looks towards the Fire Plains. “It must be doing something to Plains below. Perhaps destructive.”
Ohsala: sheds her attempt at playing Good Vulcan as the arena shudders just so. She draws to her feet, looking to the other captains. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to go,” she says, low but firm.
Ohsala: “The device looks normal. The /Fire Plains/ are not supposed to do this.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Tricorders not set to silent chime with alarm, and the hum below deepens. Cracks are heard. Whatever balance T’vhal’Tor demands, something has gone wrong indeed +
Taral: speaks low and steady. “Perhaps it’s time for an intervention.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The mountain overlook starts to feel less like a place of observation now, and more like a vulnerable location as further jets of plasma can be seen among the plains… but a lot closer now.
Zacariah: “…I can have the Baldur Bay send down a pair of Valiant Armors to contain the plasma, at least for now.”
Kyhid Zohl: looks around cautiously, his antenae are moving “Why has there been no alarm?”
Ohsala: nods emphatically. “Seran clearly knows something. We need to get to him.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: does not break his chant. Even as the vibration deepens beneath the stone and the flame sharpens in colour, his posture remains perfectly composed, his voice cutting cleanly through the tension
Taral: “I can attempt reach out Telepathically.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: Maintain focus. Deviation is anticipated. It does not signify failure.
Officiant T’Ruvan: T’vhal tor… keth su’kahr.
Kyhid Zohl: | The crowd is increasingly fragmented between those concerned at the growing risk, and those who continue to chant
Sorek: “Unless these things are part of the ritual… as tests of distraction.”
Kyhid Zohl: taps his combadge above the din “Zohl to Tykera, what the hell is going on down here?” There is no connection. Communications have been impacted by the particulate matter permeating the air
Taral: makes an attempt to send a Telepathic message to Seran, informing him of the potential sabators.
Ohsala: shakes her head, grappling for a moment with the inner Good Vulcan that WANTS to believe Sorek is right. She fixes her focus on the Officiant, as if she could read his body language somehow.
Officiant T’Ruvan: is knocked to the ground by the shaking, and seems only then to observe the true chaos unfolding around them all. His eyes turn to the crowds and then to the Fire Plains
Zacariah: “Zacariah to Baldur Bay. I need two Red Tomahawk Armors to my location, immediately! The Fire Plains are out of control, there’s Syndicate interference in the ritual!”+
Kyhid Zohl: | Suddenly two plasma jets tear free of the rock below the overlook, erupting skyward in violent arcs that hiss and crackle as they claw toward the arena’s edge. The heat spikes sharply
Zacariah: | The part regarding the Syndicate’s influence is lost as communications go dead.
Zacariah: “Damn it all!”
Kyhid Zohl: | Stone glows along the cliffside where the jets impact, and a ripple of unease finally breaks through the disciplined stillness of the still-chanting Vulcans. +
Sorek: steps forward, in the most unusual, un-Vulcan manner, raising his palms towards T’Ruvan. “Officiant, we have to stop and retreat from this place.”
Ohsala: bolts to her feet. “Captain Valiens,” she says with a nod to Zacariah. “Can you move around in the heat? We need to find Seran and his associates.”
Zacariah: | Soon after, two humanoid, red machines fall from the sky. Their chests open, and begin absorbing plasma energy from the erupting faults.

nynik

Session Transcript - (Part 2)

Officiant T’Ruvan: looks to the approaching Vulcan Officer, and it is clear that agreement is in his face. He raises his voice, firm and unmistakable to all +
Zacariah: “A little. We have to move quickly. The Red Tomahawks can only absord so much hazardous energy before risking an overload.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: This exceeds acceptable parameters. All attendees will evacuate immediately, in an orderly fashion
Officiant T’Ruvan: turns sharply, the first real urgency breaking through his composure. “Seran. Initiate emergency protocols. Now.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Right at his command, old field emitters embedded along the arena’s rim activate. A translucent shielding arcs overhead, sealing the overlook just as heat and plasma lash upward from below.
Ohsala: nods firmly. “Take Commander Sorek with you. I assume nobody came armed.” She looks to Taral and Kyhid. “How’s your cooling?”
Sorek: “The acolytes.”, he says as he reaches T’Ruvan. “We suspect they are not Vulcans.”
Taral: “It’s fine for the time being.”
Kyhid Zohl: looks down for a moment only, the unit was at half charge “I’m fine”
Ohsala: nods sharply. Vulcan side or no, she’s beginning to sweat too. “Either of you have engineering training? I want to double-check the device and it’d be easier with extra sets of eyes.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: finds his footing again and responds to Sorek “Yes?”
Officiant T’Ruvan: What of them Commander?
Taral: “I am an engineer.”
Zacariah: “Myself as well.”
Sorek: “Where did they go, Officiant?”
Taral: “Or was before the whole Captaincy.”
Kyhid Zohl: | At this time Seran can be seen at a recessed control interface set into the stone near the platform’s edge. His hands move quickly. It looks to be the shielding control.
Ohsala: nods. “So long as we have someone going after Seran’s associates. Seran knows something. At least one of us needs to question him.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: simply points to Seran, at the recessed space - which Sorek’s view allows him to see is at the start of an accessway out of the arena
Officiant T’Ruvan: They would be with Seran. Commander I don– Seran, where are Elnis and Oripha
Ohsala: lets someone with a pail of water take care of Taral, probably. “C’mon,” she urges Zachariah, beginning to pick her way through the audience.
Ohsala: Live Long and Prosper.
Ohsala: gives a Vulcan Salute to Officiant T’Ruvan.
Sorek: walks over to Seran with a determined pace, then grabs Seran by shoulder. “You… have endangered the craddle of our civilisation. Why?”
Ohsala: raises the salute before stepping to the podium. “Officiant, we wish to inspect the device. What’s happening is unusual and we want to ensure there’s no connection.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran stiffens as Sorek’s hand closes on his shoulder. For the first time since the emergency protocols began, his hands come off the console. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran turns, eyes flicking past Sorek toward the arena and the fire-lit horizon beyond. For a heartbeat, the mask of dutiful acolyte slips, revealing something closer to fear…
Kyhid Zohl: | “You do not understand what was at stake.” he says
Kyhid Zohl: seeing Sorek reach Seran, Zohl runs past the Officiant to provide support. When he arrives he immediately turns to the console to confirm its functioning/purpose/status.
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.
Sorek: tightens his grip on Seran’s shoulder, almost to a point of nerve pinch. “You are no better than those who incited the destruction of P’Jem a generation ago. How do we reverse the effects?”
Ohsala: purses her lips as she kneels by the device, checking for panels. “Do you have a tricorder, Captain?” she asks Zacariah tensely. For her part she’ll have to rely on her familiarity with Vulcan +
Ohsala: systems.
Zacariah: “I refuse to leave without a Tricorder. Propriety be damned.” He produces one.
Officiant T’Ruvan: turns toward Ohsala, his expression drawn tight with concern now too. “You may of course proceed”
Officiant T’Ruvan: ’s attention snaps briefly to Seran. “Sorek, release him. Accusation will not restore balance. Reversal will be achieved through reasoned action, not force.”
Zacariah: begins scanning the device, searching for signs of tampering or components which seem too new for the ancient looking object.
Ohsala: looks up over the edge of the device. “Good man,” she assures Zacariah. Her eyes turn to the Officiant, steady despite the heat. She nods and gets to work inspecting the device’s mechanisms.
Kyhid Zohl: leans over the recessed console, eyes narrowing as he studies fluctuating readouts and archaic power routing for a shielding grid that may be as ancient as this arena is.
Ohsala: may lack a tricorder, but she came up through the ranks in ops and grew up on this planet. She knows how to diagnose problems with Vulcan equipment.
Kyhid Zohl: | The device is entirely benign, in so far as it’s function is only to release a plasma flame in a safe vessel. It is capable of reading harmonics, which one might reasonably speculate is
Kyhid Zohl: | … a function of the rite - responding to the chanting of the crowd etc.
Sorek: “How… do… we… reverse… it?”, he punctuates each word, with each shaking Seran’s shoulder.
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran’s breath catches as Sorek’s grip tightens, surprise flashing across his face. Up close, the illusion frays. The skin tone is wrong beneath the heat sheen, the ears subtly sharper +
Kyhid Zohl: | … his brow ridge just off enough. He is not Vulcan. But Romulan.
Zacariah: “I don’t detect any signs of error in the device. Your assessment, Captain Ohsala?”
Ohsala: squints into a particular access panel, checking a few things. “It’s clean,” she says with a look up at Zacariah. “The plasma reactions must be coming from somewhere else.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: Release him Sorek
Officiant T’Ruvan: moves at his best speed for a man of his age towards the recessed area
Ohsala: “If we come at this logically, it would have to be someone timing some other device to coincide with the harmonic resonance….”
Ohsala: “…which leads us back to Seran.”
Zacariah: rolls 45 (1-100)
Sorek: “I will not release a child of S’Task’s followers, Officiant.”, he says and pulls Seran towards himself, bending Seran’s arm behind his own back. “He is a Romulan.”
Zacariah: | As the plasma increases in intensity, lights flare in the cockpit of the Tomahawk 2. It’s pilot, a man named Zerathor, laments his need to fall back and expell the energy safely.+
Zacariah: | He curses as the machine flies off, unlikely to be able to return in time as the plasma geyser is left to spray into the skies unimpeded.
Officiant T’Ruvan: ’s head lifts sharply, eyes fixing on Sorek with a look of measured disbelief. “Yes… of course he is Romulan.” He steps closer, unflinching despite the chaos around the platform. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: continues “…And I suppose you will now take issue with the fact that my other acolytes are of Orion heritage as well.” +
Officiant T’Ruvan: This is a renewed Vulcan, Sorek. You have been away too long if you believe logic and discipline are confined to a single lineage.
Officiant T’Ruvan: places a hand above Sorek’s upon Seran’s shoulder. No pressure is applied. It is a gesture that violence is not the answer here.
Ohsala: looks up at Zacariah in thought. “Captain… is your tricorder picking up anything else broadcasting from here?”
Ohsala: “This all makes no sense. There’s no logic in blowing up the Fire Plains for its own purpose, especially not for a crime syndicate. It would, however, make for a good distraction.”
Kyhid Zohl: This shielding grid is ancient - I estimate we have another 12 minutes if not less until it fails
Zacariah: “Perhaps, but I believe it may be best to boost it’s reciever in that case. Perhaps we could connect it to whatever ancient systems exist in the arena.”
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.
Sorek: “And yet you treat us as outsiders, Officiant.”, a deeper frown escapes him as he releases his grip on Seran and looks at him. “You said something was at stake, Seran. What was at stake?”, he asks.++
Sorek: “Speak!”, he exclaims.
Ohsala: nods soberly. “Let’s rejoin the others. The answers are there.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: Blowing them up? Wha-
Ohsala: rejoins the others with a puff of breath. "For lack of a better term. We’ve determined the flame controller is not the cause. There must, logically, be another device being used in time with +
Kyhid Zohl: sees the others approach. He steps back from the console - there’s nothing else he can do with it.
Ohsala: observation from this position."
Officiant T’Ruvan: Of course it isn’t. That is a sacred relic of my order.
Zacariah: “I’m hoping the arena’s emergency systems will be able to provide a tricorder with the data needed to track this other machine.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran seems to gain some relief as the tightness of grip is eased upon him. “I am sorry Officiant”
Ohsala: nods gravely. “Technology can be tampered with, Officiant. Logically we had to rule out that possibility.”
Officiant T’Ruvan: Tampered with…
Ohsala: purses her lips and moves towards the console. She mutters something to herself as she adeptly types in a few commands. Then, "Computer, reroute subspace amplifier to the antenna array and try to+
Ohsala: patch in with runabout Niantic at ShiKahr spaceport."
Zacariah: attempts to find a method to connect his Tricorder with whatever sensor arrays the shielding system may have. “Surely this thing must have a method to automatically detect emergency situations…”
Officiant T’Ruvan: Seran was taken in as a child, displaced by the collapse of our Romulan cousins. He was raised here, trained here, and bound to Vulcan discipline long before he understood his own heritage. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: gestures briefly toward the outer tiers of the arena, where the acolytes had stood moments before. "The others are Orion, former Syndicate affiliates yes… who renounced that life years ago. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: Vulcan offered a home to all three.
Kyhid Zohl: | The console responds to Ohsala’s input with a sharp tonal shift, ancient systems adapting under the pressure of modern Starfleet command protocols. +
Sorek: ponders. “Something has to be enticing the issue on tectonic level. Captain Ohsala, try tracking down Vulcan’s tectonic resonances for this area, but see if they are modulated.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Power redistributes through the interface, the shield hums as power fluctuates in the attempt!
Ohsala: rolls 84 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: | Despite the change in protocols, during an active emergency event, Vulcan systems show their trademark resilience and the power grid stabilises. The shield holds and the connection goes throu
Ohsala: nods as Sorek makes a suggestion. “I have a thought,” she murmurs, trying not to show her tension. As the console chirps, she leans in. "Ensign Karunaratne, this is Captain Ohsala. I need a full+
Ohsala: sensor sweep of the Fire Plains and surrounding area. Look for sources of tectonic instability or anything else that looks like it shouldn’t belong there."
Kyhid Zohl: | Zac’s tricorder emits a brief chirr as it negotiates with the shielding system’s ancient interface. For a heartbeat nothing happens, then layers of dormant subroutines flicker to life. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The arena does indeed possess its own detection capabilities for emergencies, and he has access to internal sensors.
Zacariah: “Alright, I’m connected to the arena’s sensors. Let’s see what’s going on inside while Ohsala navigates the readings outside…”
Zacariah: seems like he’s talking more to himslef than anyone around him.
Zacariah: rolls 94 (1-100)
Ohsala: has switched over to a data screen, awaiting the runabout Niantic’s scan results. “We’re running out of time,” she mutters half to herself.
Kyhid Zohl: | The Ensign’s voice cuts in over the link. It’s patchy. "Captain, we’re reading massive plasmatic instability across the region. The levels are extreme, but… consistent with historical models +
Kyhid Zohl: | … from over five centuries ago, prior to full planetary regulation. The Vulcan Science Academy has mobilised response teams with plasmic stabilisers, they’re en route now." +
Kyhid Zohl: | “… However, they cannot identify the trigger. Something is actively disrupting the local stabilisation network. Whatever it is, it does not appear to be a natural failure.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Zac’s tricorder updates as the sensor feed reports back… Multiple devices register around the arena’s perimeter are detected… small harmonic relay units embedded into stonework +
Kyhid Zohl: | They are not part of the arena’s usual specification. Their signatures are however Vulcan in design, yet deliberately concealed. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The relays are active. Each emits a tightly focused harmonic signal outward, threading into the Fire plains below. The purpose is unmistakable… +
Kyhid Zohl: | … To transmit the harmonic chanting as a signal to something else.
Zacariah: “Bingpot,” he says, to no one in particular. It appears he’s found what he was looking for. "There are several harmonic focusers around the arena. Foreign to it, as well. They’re pointing to something
Kyhid Zohl: listens to Ohsala’s communications while observing Zacariah’s manipulation of the console.
Kyhid Zohl: Hmm… well perhaps we can shut them down.. but I don’t imagine it’ll do any good now. They were likely a triggering device is all. Intended to relay the chanting as the ceremony began
Ohsala: nods as data begins to come in. “Alright. Ensign, get those sensors focused on this location. We’ve got harmonic focusers pointed at something in this area. We need to know WHAT and WHERE.”
Zacariah: “Officiant. I do hope you know nothing of this. For your sake.” He turns around. His gaze to T’Ruvan is cold and malicious.
Ohsala: reaches up towards Zacariah, but is so busy looking at the screen that she misses by a mile. “Threats later. We need to triangulate the location of whatever those focusers are broadcasting to.”
Zacariah: “Of course. I’ll send a signal through them one more time and try to ascertain where it’s going.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The Ensign’s reply comes back after a burst of static "Captain, negative. The interference is too severe at that focal point. We can confirm directionality and intensity of a harmonic +
Kyhid Zohl: | … repeating signal network, but not resolution on where. "
Kyhid Zohl: | With further manipulation of the protocols, Zac is able to link with the devices and can gleam that they are sending their signals to specific coordinates out in the plains.
Ohsala: snaps her fingers. “Send through the direction. Might help us narrow it down. Keep in contact with the Vulcan authorities. We’re alright here but we’re on the clock.”
Kyhid Zohl: | There is increased rumbling now in the Arena and the shield grid is struggling to keep up with the assualt from the plumes of plasma now lashing above their heads
Zacariah: “I have the coordinates.” Zacariah quickly relays the location he’s traingulated.
Ohsala: nods. “Can we disable it without destroying it?” She taps the console nevertheless, “Ensign, sending through a set of coordinates. Bring the Niantic up and in that direction.”
Kyhid Zohl: Captains, are you thinking what I’m thinking…
Zacariah: taps his communicator, hoping his pilot can hear. “Tomahawk one. Recieve these coordinates and initiate Emergency Release Protocol GR-1”.
Kyhid Zohl: looks at them both, and he is now sure they are thinking exactly what he is thinking
Ohsala: purses her lips. “I’m thinking I don’t want to blow that device up if there’s something we can learn from it. I’m also thinking this would’ve made quite a distraction for /someone./”
Zacariah: “I’m thinking we don’t want that machine around. And that whoever that someone is could do with several thousand joules worth of plasma energy being released in a very short time frame.”
Kyhid Zohl: Blow up all but one then
Kyhid Zohl: Vulcan’s existing stabilisers may be able to compensate and return things to … normal
Ohsala: rolls 41 (1-100)
Zacariah: sighs. “If you believe we must. But my patience for the cause of this danger is at its limit.”
Ohsala: clicks her teeth together as she draws a blank. “Damn it. It won’t be enough.” She taps the receiver again. "Ensign, phasers ready. Prepare a firing solution on those devices and go. We’re out of
Ohsala: time."
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran’s composure finally gives way under the weight of converging evidence. His shoulders tense, felt by Sorek, and his eyes drop to the stone beneath his feet before lifting again +
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran continues “I deployed the stabilisation jammers in the plains.” His admission seems small now in the tense situation. He swallows once, then continues +
Officiant T’Ruvan: looks upon Seran then and steps back
Sorek: “What if we attempted to generate a kind of sonic boom at lower harmonics of the tectonic resonances typical for this area?”
Sorek: “A kind of subsurface tectonic wave which would use tectonic frequencies as a carrier, and device’s native frquency as something that shuts it down.”
Kyhid Zohl: That’s generally how these types of stabilizers work… I think…. but if these placed devices are jamming them. Surely us neutralising them will allow the pre-existing stabilisers to recover their c
Kyhid Zohl: control over the area
Kyhid Zohl: was damn sure he didn’t know the first thing about how such geological stabilizers actually worked, but he surprised himself in remembering some fundamentals learned at a sleepy conference once
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran continues "At the officiant’s request…. I was instructed that the planetary stabilisers had diminished the rite to mere symbolism… The jammers were meant to suppress them temporarily, not this.. +
Kyhid Zohl: | “… to recreate the conditions under which T’vhal’Tor was originally performed so long ago. To remind people of what they have lost. ”
Ohsala: | Overhead, there’s a growing whine of sub-impulse thrusters. The chunky shape of a Starfleet runabout shoots above the Fire Plains. Banking a little, the good ship USS Niantic sweeps out from the +
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran turns his head just enough to look toward T’Ruvan. Not in an accusatory manner, not pleading… just simply stating fact as he had been brought up to do. Romulan or not.
Ohsala: | shielded promontory and begins to fire. Thin orange particle beams lance down into the plasma-laden plains, descending with pinpoint accuracy towards the coordinates Zacariah sent along.
Zacariah: | Tomahawk 1 approaches the specified coordinates. Its pilot, a younger woman, smiles as she begins initiating the vent protocol. She slams a button and the Tomahawk responds, opening the chest unit+
Zacariah: + And releasing all of the stored plasma energy absorbed earlier in a single, powerful stream of energy. The pilot opens communications just long enough to scream, “GETTER! BEEAAAMMMM!” +
Zacariah: As the energy impacts the targeted coordinates.
Ohsala: falls out of her chair at the anime reference.
Zacariah: audibly groans. “Why do they always insist on doing that…”
Ohsala: climbs back into her seat, muttering something that sounds vaguely like “ressin fressin illogical ressin fressin”
Kyhid Zohl: | The stabilisation jammers across the plains each erupt into molton slag as they are hit either by phaser fire or vented plasma. All but one at least. But it is incapable of continuing its mission
Kyhid Zohl: | … as the region’s stabilisation grid takes over, no longer jammed from its functionality.
Kyhid Zohl: | Across the fire plains there is an almost immediate arrest in the jets of plasma into the sky, and things begin to settle. The air clearing too. The plasma lashing the arena’s ancient shield disappa
Kyhid Zohl: | disappates also and emergency information displayed on the nearby console indicates that things are back under control. Communications eventually restore.
Ohsala: hunches back over the console. She allows a sigh to leave her, shoulders visibly slumping. “The grid is kicking back in. We should be out of danger now.”
Sorek: inhales deeply, looking coldly at T’Ruvan. "For the sake of our homeworld, Officiant, I do sincerely hope you did not procreate. Otherwise, we would be force to tolerate another generation of++
Sorek: illogical individuals."
Kyhid Zohl: | Seran’s words are cut short by a sharp crack of energy. A phaser bolt strikes him square in the chest, hurling him back against the stone with a dull, final thud. His body slumps out of +
color=grey]Kyhid Zohl:[/color] Sorek’s grip as it falls to the floor unmoving.
Zacariah: “So. Close enough to your original ritual, Officiant?” It’s said with disdain and condescension.
Officiant T’Ruvan: stands several paces back from the group, a compact Vulcan pistol still raised in his hand. He stepped away moments earlier, lost in the chaos, unnoticed until now.
Officiant T’Ruvan: ’s expression is not panicked, nor enraged, but resolved… the look of someone who has already accepted the consequences of a necessary act.
Sorek: “This is your renewd Vulcan, T’Ruvan? Liar and murderer?”
Ohsala: sighs. “That’ll do, Commander….” That’s about when Seran gets shot. She bolts out of her seat instinctively and launches herself shoulder-first at T’Ruvan’s knees in an attempted leg clip.
Kyhid Zohl: moves quickly to the Officiant’s side as Ohsala is moving, and takes the phaser out of his hand without resistance.
Sorek: calmly approaches to T’Ruvan. “There is a very Human gesture which I learned to be appropriate for individuals like you…”, and spits in T’Ruvan’s face.
Kyhid Zohl: | Both Zohl and Ohsala take T’Ruvan into custody, the latter having dealt a disabling blow in the process.
Officiant T’Ruvan: does not wipe his face. He does not react at all. “It was only logical.”
Sorek: wipes his lips and turns away, speaking. “In your case, the logic was a beginning of stupidity.”
Ohsala: shakes her head at Sorek. “By the book, Commander.” She gives T’Ruvan a look, shaking her head slowly. “The logic of your actions will be for the justice system to determine. You’re under arrest.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The moment fractures into noise and motion. Transporter signatures flare across the overlook as emergency teams beam in and evacuees are pulled away. Shuttles roar overhead too.
Kyhid Zohl: | Comms chatter overlaps in sharp bursts, Vulcan security, Starfleet, Science Academy. Orders are issued, acknowledged, repeated. The rite is over, buried beneath the chaos. +
Officiant T’Ruvan: does not give any further response.
Kyhid Zohl: | T’Ruvan does not struggle or protest. Whatever conviction carried him to this moment has already burned itself out, leaving only certainty in its wake.
Kyhid Zohl: | The rite of T’vhal’Tor ends not with flame and balance, but with dire consequence. What remains will be examined, debated, and judged in chambers far from this overlook. +
Zacariah: “Sometimes I wonder if my Romulan ancestors had the right of it, after all. Enough T’Ruvan’s around and anyone would seek solace elsewhere.”
Kyhid Zohl: | For now, the starfleet officers stand amid cooling stone and fading light, witnesses not only to an ancient tradition, but to the cost of mistaking conviction for logic.
Ohsala: shakes her head with a sigh as she turns things over to Vulcan and Starfleet Security. “People are people, Captain Valiens… even Vulcans.”
Kyhid Zohl: nods as Vulcan security forces lead the Officiant off into a shuttlecraft. “People are people”

nynik

‘Storm System’

Starfleet long-range sensors have detected a structured signal coming from a long avoided region of the Alpha Quadrant, previously sealed off by violent subspace storms. Recent fluctuations suggest those storms are weakening, allowing the signal to emerge for the first time. Its origin is deliberate, its source unknown, and no records match its signature. Starfleet has authorised a limited patrol to investigate while the window remains open. Whatever lies beyond the storms has been silent for a long time… and is no longer so.

Session Transcript (Part 1)

Among the Stars - Storm System

Kyhid Zohl: =C= All vessels assigned to investigate the anomalous signal, this is Captain Kyhid Zohl of the USS Tykera. Rendezvous with the task group at the Kinjun system, Bajor Sector +
Kyhid Zohl: … for coordinated operations to determine the source of the transmission. Further instructions will be issued on arrival. =C=
Kee’ren: =C= “Tykera, this is Liberty. We are receiving you and will rendezvous in 4.7 minutes at the edge of Kinjun system.”
William Levesley: =^= A.F.S Archangel enroute for rendezvous
Taral: =C= “Copy that, U.S.S. Shackleton enroute to Kinjun System.”
Leiari Rezan: <C> “Tykera, this is Vigilant. We are already on standby, and at your disposal.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Acknowledgement handshakes are sent over subspace to the ships responding. The taskgroup was assembling.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Task group, this is Zohl. We will proceed to the outer edge of the former storm system, adjacent to the nebula, and conduct initial long range scans. Once data is gathered +
Kyhid Zohl: … all COs are to convene for a coordination briefing aboard the USS Weytahn. Zohl out. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: No group going - we’re more than 5 aren’t we?
Kyhid Zohl: =C=We are approaching the outer boundary of the storm system. The disturbances persist, but have dissipated enough to allow closer approach than any prior survey permitted.
Kyhid Zohl: | Behind the Tykera the other ships of the taskforce were now also nearing the boundary.
Kee’ren: =C= “Tykera, may we suggest you be the coordination base for wide-area scan as we conduct sensory sweeps from different angles?”
Kee’ren: shit
Kee’ren: =C= “Tykera, may we suggest you be the coordination base for wide-area scan as we conduct sensory sweeps from different angles?”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Previous scans could not penetrate this region. We can now clearly detect a planetoid, perhaps a gas giant. Proceed with caution and maintain tight sensor coordination.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= We read you Liberty. Fortunately for us, the Weytahn can do the heavy lifting on that front before too long.
Kee’ren: =C= “Understood, Tykera. We will establish a link with Weytahn.”
Kyhid Zohl: | As the task group advances, the storm wall thins into vast, drifting curtains of charged vapour, no longer an impenetrable barrier but still restless and alive. And still very much dangerous.
Leiari Rezan: <C> “Vigilance’s threat detection array is working over time to cover you while you scan. We’re trying to predict the storm’s danger zones. Have fun, kids, and stay safe.”
Shallas: =C= Weytahn here. We are at your service for anything you require. <The Pathfinder vessel drifted almost pecaefully through the nebula that the other ships were gaged in, though it stays close>
Kyhid Zohl: | Lightning crawls silently through the clouds, casting brief, cold flashes across their hull plating and causing their shields to respond in places.
Kyhid Zohl: | Beyond the turbulence, a massive blue gas giant resolves into view for the first time.
Taral: =C= “Begining planetary scan, stand by.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Its atmosphere turns slowly, deep cobalt in colour and folding into swirls like an endless ocean seen from orbit.
Kee’ren: =C= (aboard Liberty) “Ensign L’Lani, employ the wide lateral sensor array and scan complementary to other vessels in task group. Then proceed to deliver optimised data to the Weytahn.”
Shallas: | Weytahn’s specialized sensor package was running constant deep scans of the nebulae and turbulence, its science teams working to devise a safe passage while its relative nimbleness means that it is-
Shallas: - gently veering over, under, and past obstacles, rather then attempting to tank it.>
Kyhid Zohl: | Aboard the Tykera, engineering and ops teams were already reporting increased particulate intake in the forward ramscoops. It was a good opportunity to take in such charged particles.
Kyhid Zohl: | Faint rings of ionised debris glimmer from the planetoid’s upper layers, caught within the dying storms. Certainly something of interest for further detailed scans later on.
William Levesley: =^= Preparing Class 4 Probes for lauch perpendicular to our direction of travel
Kee’ren: <FX> Liberty, as the most relative left ship in the task group conducts scans while cautiously proceeding a little behind the task group. Ops and sciences analyze and compile data, then compress them+
Kee’ren: +into periodic data packages to be distributed between ships.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= All ships. We are within acceptable operating parameters. Hold your position. No hostile activity detected at this time." <Zohl added, though he realised it might unnerve some. >
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Initiate prelim scan operations per your ship protocols. We will collate our combined findings for review at our scheduled assembly and briefing.
Kee’ren: =C= “Commander Hakara, proceed under Yellow Alert. Better safe than whiskers burned.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The USS Tykera’s role here was defined less by deep range science and more by operational coordination. Her sensor suite was competent but unremarkable next to the dedicated science vessels near
Kyhid Zohl: | Even so, standard protocols are observed without delay. Probes are launched into the thinning storms and broad spectrum scans sweep the gas giant and its surrounding space
Shallas: ’s vessel fires off a class five probe towards the planetary body. As a dedicated science vessel, the Weytahn was equpped with top of the line sensor suites, and now it began to use its unique-
Kyhid Zohl: | Storm activity had thinned, but it was no guarantee that it would not return to levels which last led to this area being obscured from exploration for hundreds of years if not more.
Shallas: - euipment to it’s advantage. Three probes are fired off, each for a different pole of the planet, while its secondary deflector is used to clear a subatomic pathway for it’s sensor suite, hoping -
Shallas: - gain a clearer signal and unleash, to start, an analysis of the planet’s biosphere, if any, and scan for its dominant type of material, mineral, and chemical composition.
Shallas: (Done)
Shallas: had smiled warmly as she greeted the various Captains on board the Weytahn. Boarding it, the Captains find a modern exploration vessel designed for Delta Rising. But while it’s consoles and neural-
Shallas: - network were all top notch, the Captains can find homages to it’s mother class, the Intrepid, everywhere. The hallways, while narrow, still sweep out in a classical 24′th century Starfleet style-
Shallas: - soft carpet lines the floors, and the consoles even had an almost retro look, though the data displayed on every last one of them, and even the button layout, was of a far more modern computer -
Shallas: - system. This callback seems to extend to the crew, as the bridge reveals a dutiful, multiracial command crew, but ones who seem inspired by hope and an era of exploration. The ambiance on the -
Shallas: - ship was professional, but warm.
Shallas: (Done)
Kee’ren: nods silently to all officers present before sitting down.
Shallas: Captains! Please, welcome aboard.
Kyhid Zohl: nods and takes a seat
Kee’ren: “Captain Zohl, Captain Taral, good to see you again.”
William Levesley: rests casually in his chair
Kyhid Zohl: inclines his head toward Captain Shallas as the gathered officers take their seats, allowing her the clear lead aboard her ship.
Taral: “I assure you Captain Kee’ren, I am not seeing much, but the feeling is mutual”
Shallas: ’s lips form a warm smile. She nods her assent, but ultimately peers at Kyhid in anticipation as well. "Captain Zohl, as the Tykera was the organizational hub of this fleet, I assume you have -
Shallas: - a presentation to give us?
Kyhid Zohl: stifles a laugh
Leiari Rezan: offered a nod to all the assembled Captains, chuckling to herself at being the only non-Captain in the room. She remained silent, however, content to let the bright purple on her shoulder stripe>
Leiari Rezan: |> speak for her for the moment.
Kee’ren: purr-chuckles at Taral’s comment. “Apologies, Captain, for the colloquial slip of the tongue.”
Kyhid Zohl: rises as the room settles, activating a nearby display which also added holographic displays on the table.
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.
Kyhid Zohl: begins to outline the mission calmly +
Kyhid Zohl: Thank you for coming. As you’ve all seen, the storms in this region have thinned enough to grant us our first clear access in centuries. We now have confirmed sensor contact with +
Kyhid Zohl: … a blue gas giant at the heart of the disturbance. Our task is to determine what lies within this area, and why it is only now revealing itself. Coordination and caution will be key as we +
Kyhid Zohl: The storms are still active and unpredictable, but no longer absolute barriers. We do not yet know if the signal originates from the planet +
Shallas: leans forward in her seat, folding her fingers inward. The Andorian captain frowns, her eyes showing some experience. Something burdened her.
Kyhid Zohl: … or something concealed within the surrounding flux. Until we do, assume this region has remained hidden for a reason. Which I’m hoping will remain natural… but I’m sure we’ve all seen and +
Kyhid Zohl: … heard of stranger things.
Shallas: Perhaps. Though I have noted that at times, nothing is stranger then the natural.
Kyhid Zohl: nods
Kyhid Zohl: Over the intervening hours, all of our vessels have compiled sensor data from multiple angles and disciplines. +
Leiari Rezan: “Hence my presence. I will be reporting our findings directly to Starfleet Intelligence. Given the proximity to Deep Space Nine, it is considered a high priority.”
Kyhid Zohl: Indeed. We shall get to the signal itself in due course naturally.
Kyhid Zohl: Captain Shallas has kindly offered the Weytahn, in its specialty as a deep space science vessel, to host the collation and further analysis of this. +
Kyhid Zohl: It is time now for each ship to share its findings so we can build a complete picture before deciding our next move. if any.
Kee’ren: “I have the first astronomical question.”, he states, raising his paw.
Kyhid Zohl: moves to return to his seat at that.
Kyhid Zohl: Please, proceed Captain.
Kee’ren: "Based on collated readings, do we know are these storms travelling along with the planetary system and have temporarily weakened down… or is it that system has drifted away from the storms so we++
Kee’ren: finally have better access to it. I ask about this relative movement with respect to, say, galactic centre."
William Levesley: “Is it possible that the storms have dissipated due to a conincidental stellar event. A Coronal Mass Ejection, that’s dissipated the particle density?”
Kyhid Zohl: A fair question, Captain Kee’ren. That determination will rest primarily with Weytahn’s deep time series and stellar drift modelling, supplemented by Liberty’s astronomical data I’m sure +
Kyhid Zohl: Captain Shallas, might you have a preliminary view on this hypothesis or hard fact for the Captain?
Kee’ren: looks to Lev, nodding. “It is possible. Ionic storms anchor themselves to sources of strong magnetic fields, same ones which may produce CMOs.”, then focuses to Shallas.
Kee’ren: ((CMEs not CMOs, dammit))
Shallas: A preminary astrometrical analysis suggests it is possible - Stellar bodies do move, and it is possible that the gas giant has drifted into this storm in a long ago past, and is now sufficiently far -
Shallas: - removed from it’s core to make exploration possible.
Shallas: Personally I don’t know which possibility is more exiting - That this planet was always a part of the storm and thus evolved inside of it, or began as an external body and evolved to adapt to it.
William Levesley: “Like hiding behind the mists of Avalon”
Kyhid Zohl: Thank you, Captain Shallas. Both possibilities carry significant implications.
Kyhid Zohl: For now, we will treat the system as potentially shaped by long term exposure to the storms, until the data tells us otherwise.
Shallas: nods and strokes along her chin, resting on the table.
Shallas: One more thing.
Kyhid Zohl: pauses
Shallas: captain Levesey’s theory is not without merit. My science officer tells me that we do believe it is possible that something within the Badlands has radiated out in order to cause a disspoation, or at-
Shallas: - least an alteration of the Storm’s path and function.
Shallas: ..As you know, the Badlands has been the scene of particularly strange events of late, not the least of which being a temporal incursion.
Shallas: The data is inconclusive on whether that actually would affect it enough to reveal the planet, so I believe it is more likely to be the result of stellar drift.
Kyhid Zohl: That is… concerning I must say Captain. If activity in or near the Badlands is influencing these storms, then we may be looking at another unstable pocket of space forming uncomfortably close +
Kyhid Zohl: … to core Federation worlds. That carries implications well beyond exploration, and ones Starfleet will not ignore lightly.
Taral: doesn’t turn to face any of the speakers her brow furrows slightly at the mention of Temporal incursions. Her previously neutral expression becoming one of mild annoyance.
Kee’ren: “It sounds as if the radiative contribution was done on purpose from the Badlands to reveal this gas giant.”
Leiari Rezan: nodded in agreement with Zohl.
William Levesley: “That’s quite a directed reach from the Badlands. Across alot of space.”
Kyhid Zohl: That is a possibility we should not dismiss Kee’ren. If the dissipation was deliberate, then this system was not merely uncovered… it was revealed on purpose, by a design not yet understood.
Shallas: I feel an accident is more likely. The temporal rifts from the Badlands and the Terran Empire’s temporary expansion caused a lot of errant signals and projectiles to fire off into space. While intent-
Shallas: - is possible, I feel with so much war in our recent history we may be too quick to attribute natural occuring events to intent..
Shallas: ..And when you think about it, it was inevitable that all of these wars, temporal rifts, and dimensional rifts were going to have consequences.
Kyhid Zohl: That is a fair counterpoint, Captain Shallas
William Levesley: “I assume the other mystery is the signal you mentioned?”
Kee’ren: “Captain Taral, your vessel has conducted a planetary scan, along with Weytahn’s probes. What has your crew summarised?”, he turns to Aenar as he speaks.
Kyhid Zohl: shoots a quick glance towards Rezaj
Kyhid Zohl: ((Rezan))
Leiari Rezan: “Nonetheless, the possibility of intent cannot be ignored, even if other possibilities remain more likely.” She nodded. "The signal, however, is the primary reason for my involvement. It is, thus ->
Leiari Rezan: |> far, the primary indicator of potential intent. Vigilance is analyzing the signal as we speak, hoping to determine more details about its origin."
Kyhid Zohl: Yes. The signal is precisely why Starfleet authorised this survey and response. +
Kyhid Zohl: Despite the other obvious scientific interests, it is the one element here that does not fit a purely natural explanation, and until we understand its origin and purpose +
Kyhid Zohl: …we proceed on the assumption that intent remains on the table.
William Levesley: “The signal came from within the storm?”
Kyhid Zohl: looks about to whoever may be in the best position to answer that question
Taral: "I suspect an accident judging by the debris we detected in the upper atmosphere.
Shallas: ..Could it have come from a planet within the storm? There is nothing saying these planets could not be inhabited.
William Levesley: nodds at Shallas’ point. “Could simply be a planets attempt to reach out if theyve been locked away from the galaxy”
Kee’ren: turns to Lev and nods. "It very likely came from the storm, but the signal has shown signs of intense degradation, leading me to suspect it was emitted a long time ago. But from where exactly++
Kee’ren: ++that may be our next step."
Leiari Rezan: “The signal could simply be coming from survivors of whatever ship was unfortunate enough to become such debris.”
Kyhid Zohl: Hmm, came from the storm, came from planets.. we really need to pinpoint it. All Tykera has determined for now is that it has been distorted in its trajectory by the highly interferential nature +
Kyhid Zohl: .. of these storms.
Kee’ren: “Which returns me to the question for Captain Taral?”, he turns to Aenar again. “Anything from your planetary scans, Captain?”
Kyhid Zohl: listens with interest as the discussion unfolds
Kyhid Zohl: allows himself a brief, approving glance toward Taral, not that she’d see it. He was pleased in seeing an Aenar serving in a senior role
Taral: "Our scans have shown a planetary composition of similar to that of Neptune, Hydrogen, Helium, Methane… Interestingly It seems parts of the atmosphere have become ionized by scattered debris–
Kyhid Zohl: resists the urge to interject with ‘All a lot of hot air if you ask me’. Good advice from his XO the last time he wheeled out that old joke.
Taral: located through out the planets atmosphere, We mentioned earlier that the Storm might be attracted to large amounts ionization if I had to guess, the planet itself has become the magnet gradually over
Taral: a long period of time"
Shallas: That would raise the implication that if the storm shifted, it is because something ELSE nearby became a large source of ionization
Leiari Rezan: “Which is concerning in itself.”
Taral: “That or some of the Debris has been salvaged”
Kee’ren: “Something very metallic and gravitationally intense.”, he mutters.
Kyhid Zohl: That is a troubling set of possibilities.
Kyhid Zohl: Agreed. Before we speculate further, let us ground this in data. Which vessel has the most complete long range scan results, updated since our initial arrival, and is ready to brief the group?
Shallas: Troubling..Perhaps not so much.
Shallas: peers at Kee’reen. “I don’t suppose your vessel performed long range scans, Captain?”
Kee’ren: “Yes, Liberty has focused more on the perimeter, rather than the planet itself.”
Kyhid Zohl: Captain Kee’ren then, in your own time.
Kee’ren: puts a PADD of his own on the table and stands up from his chair, and walks over to the display screen.
Kee’ren: presses few buttons, displaying a slow movement of the ion storms center of… stormity.
Kyhid Zohl: gets up and goes to the replicator to get a tea. He’s suspected others might want one, but had made no move to help themsleves.
Kyhid Zohl: sips Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
Kee’ren: "What we were able to summarise is that storms are definitely no longer coalescing… or gravitating towards the gas giant. While the planet itself is moving, it’s movement, relative to us is slower++
Kee’ren: ++than that of the storms, which led us to believe that storms are being drawn elsewhere.", he presses a button prompting to switch screen towards a potato shaped body. "This. A barren, rogue++
Kee’ren: ++highly metalicised. Or… something very quite near it, which draws both the asteroid and the storms away from the gas giant."
Kee’ren: (barren, rogur asteroid*)
Kyhid Zohl: That is significant. If the storms are being drawn away from the gas giant, then this object, or whatever lies on or in it, becomes a point of interest indeed.
Kee’ren: "I mentioned that source would have to be both gravitationally strong and quite metallic for ionisation of this magnitude. One candidate object that satisfies both criteria would be a planet killer,++
Kyhid Zohl: looks surprised
Shallas: A planet killer?
Kee’ren: due to the density of neutronium and high concentration of antiprotons, but luckily… there is no indication of such object."
Shallas: What about a natural planet killer?
Leiari Rezan: withdraws a PADD from the table she had carried in tucked under her arm, tapping on it lightly. “Interesting. Huh.” She mumbled, but refrained from sharing her findings for the moment, waiting for>
William Levesley: tenses at the mention of a planet Killer
Leiari Rezan: |> one more convenient.
Kee’ren: “Black holes with strong magnetic fields are also a possibilty.”, he looks to Shallas. “But gravitational lensing was not, as of yet, observed.”
Kyhid Zohl: A natural analogue could exert similar effects if sufficiently ionised.. hmm. It would certainly have the scale required.
Kyhid Zohl: I’d prefer if it was a black hole frankly.
Taral: “I concur, a black hole is more likely than a planet killer.”
Kyhid Zohl: But let me ask… if there is intent at work, then perhaps the signal detected, distorted though it is, is not simply a call to be heard, but a mechanism to shift the storm itself ?
Kyhid Zohl: I cannot yet see how that would be achieved, but the evidence is clear… the storm is no longer static. It is moving, and responding to something in that object.
Shallas: It is possible. This could be anything, really, if we are considering intent.
Leiari Rezan: “If i may redirect your attention momentarily… The coordinates of your object… are the source of the signal. Which means that likely, the answer to all of our questions lies there.”
Kee’ren: “Prompting again the possibility of artificially induced event.”
William Levesley: "Is it too much to hope its an automated “whoops you left your gravity generator on” message
Taral: “It’s possible that the debris is running out of electrical charge and the storms are simply being drawn away to the next largest source of Ionization.”
Kyhid Zohl: considers this theory from Taral with interest
Kyhid Zohl: Captain Taral, expand on that if you would.
Kee’ren: “Hmm. A kind of… ionisation sinkhole.”
Kyhid Zohl: Do your scans indicate the debris is losing charge uniformly, or are there signs of active depletion or manipulation. Was it once whole, such as this other object now drawing the storms?
Kee’ren: deactivates his part of presentation and returns to his seat.
Shallas: More to the point, can we perhaps bring the debris into one of the larger ships for st udy?
Shallas: Study..Ahem.
Taral: “We can’t be 100% sure from this distance, but if the Debris has been there for 100’s of years, it’s about time it would start to loose charge,”
Taral: “As for retriving the Debris, it should be possible, we would need to invert shield polarity to repel the Ion storms as we got closer.”
Kyhid Zohl: It would be informative to attempt retrieval. If we can study the debris directly, we may learn whether there is a relationship between the two objects… one still intact and exerting influence +
Kyhid Zohl: … the other fragmented and slowly losing its charge. That contrast alone could tell us a great deal.
William Levesley: ponders for a moment. “I do have a theory…”
Kyhid Zohl: We certainly have no shortage of them.. but please Captain, please share it.
William Levesley: "Lets assume, the object and signal source are the guiding force behind the Storm…
Leiari Rezan: crossed her arms, black eyes watching Lev curiously.
William Levesley: …Their presence could act like a security net. Essentially annexing an area of space, like a solar system away from everything else. The owners of such a device coudl reaonably navigate such…
William Levesley: …a barrier without difficulty. Once they are done with the system the apparently naturally occuring storm moves off, subject to random spacial anomalies and passed off as coincidence."
William Levesley: "The debris could be the remains of mining or exploitation.2
Kyhid Zohl: That is… deeply troubling, Captain. A mobile storm used as a weapon would be almost worse than a planet killer. It may arguably be a hard foe to fight…
William Levesley: “They send this out to claim a system. Then use the system when they can and move on.” *he settles back."
Leiari Rezan: “That is… incredibly concerning. I will have my ship look into whether there is enough data to indicate a pattern.”
Taral: “All the more reason to retrieve a debris sample.”
Kee’ren: “Well, hiding behind an ion storm would be definitely more effective than a battle cloak. Ion storm can hide and deliver a punch if directed properly.”
William Levesley: nodds in agreement.
Kee’ren: (can hide someone**)
Kyhid Zohl: | Without warning, a violent streak of ionised light tears past the viewport, slamming into the Weytahn’s shields with a thunderous crack.
Taral: “This seems a li-”
Kyhid Zohl: | The deck lurches beneath their feet as alarms flare, the storm outside surging suddenly toward the assembled fleet.
Kyhid Zohl: manages to hold onto the table just in time to avoid losing his position.
Kee’ren: grins while looking out the window. “As Humans say, we jinxed it, haven’t we?”
Taral: holds onto the table.
Kee’ren: taps his combadge. “Shissar to Liberty, proceed to Red Alert.”
Shallas: swivels on her chair to peer outside. She doessnt seem alarmed, but she does immidiately tap her combadge to recieve more information. “Captain to bridge, report!”
William Levesley: rocks to the side. Gripping the arm of the chair

nynik

Session Transcript (Part 2)

Kyhid Zohl: | A voice comes over the com. =C= Captain. We are seeing a sudden surge in storm activity, vectors are shifting toward the fleet. +
Leiari Rezan: sighs softly as she gripped her seat tightly. “Show of hands, who saw that coming?” Even though she knew the answer, as a telepath.
Kyhid Zohl: | … Shields are holding at 74%, but the storm is actively reorienting around us.”
Taral: taps her combadge, “Taral to Eight, red alert and invert shield hamonic polarity.”
William Levesley: =^= Archangel, go to Red Alert and launch a class 6 probe along our approach vector. Just in case we need a guide out."
Kyhid Zohl: | Reports were also coming in to each Captain from across the fleet.
Shallas: Recalibrate our scanners and direct all scientific stations to analyze the storm! I want accurate predictions so helm can make evasive manouvers. And go to yellow alert!
Shallas: Captains, I am needed on the bridge. I trust you can find your way back to your ships?
Kee’ren: “I suggest we return to our respective ships while we still can.”
Taral: “Indeed, maintain open comms.”
Leiari Rezan: “Agreed.”
William Levesley: “Before the ioniation makes transport impossible.”
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Aye, ma’am.
Kyhid Zohl: nods as he departs
Shallas: | Lights aboard the weytahn darken as the vessel goes to yellow alert. The crew is immiidately more on edge, hurrying through the corridors as each crewmember sees to their assigned duties. Shallas? -
Shallas: - She makes for the bridge.
Shallas: Helm, begin evasive manouvers and transport our guests back to their vessels.
Kyhid Zohl: | The COs disperse back to their ships as the Weytahn is struck again, forcibly. The blue gas giant looms ahead while the storm seems to tighten around the fleet.
Kee’ren: | Once back aboard Liberty bridge: "Commander Hakara, that ion probe from your hobby time… yes, the one from Kirk’s Enterprise. Have it prepared for deployement… I know it is your free time but we
Taral: =C= “The storm is being attracted to our shields recomment inverting your shield harmonics to repel the storms.”
Kee’ren: may need it for this ion storm that chases us."
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl strides onto the Tykera’s bridge as the ship settles from another impact, “Damage report” he calls out, as his officers respond. Just shield hits.
Kee’ren: =C= “Acknowledged, Shackleton. We will randomise our inversion algorithm and share control parameters with the rest of the group.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Task group, this is Zohl. Break formation and increase separation distances. We may be presenting too large a collective charge.
Kee’ren: =C= “Helm, new bearing. 36 mark 11 mark 89.”
Shallas: |Being more frail then the other vessels, the Weytahn breaks formation slightly by neccecity. Its engines roar to life, and, utilizing its advanced suite of science tools, begins to roll with the -
Shallas: - Storm’'s eddies to minimize impact. The vessel floated gracefully, and its shield harmonics quickly invert.
Leiari Rezan: On the darkened, compact bridge of the Adamant-class starship, Rezan strode towards the vacant center chair. “Invert shield polarity. Give us max thrust directly to starboard, for three seconds.” The>
Leiari Rezan: |> vessel’s maneuvering thrusters flare to life, swifly breaking formation as the ship flips casually off to the side.
Kee’ren: =C= “Commander Hakara, that ion storm model that my grandnephew made… plug it into shield harmonics.”, he orders as the Liberty separates from the group, trying to buzz around randomly.
Shallas: |Once the initial problem had been resolved, however, the vessel’s sensors begin scanning for a safe spot.
Shallas: =C= Weytahn here. I am initiating a scan to try and find an eye ofthe storm, as it were..
William Levesley: =C= I would expect that to be the signal source asteroid
Kyhid Zohl: | Surges of light ripple through local space as the storm intensifies. Warp bubbles across the task group destabilise and collapse in sequence, nobody is going anywhere.
Taral: U.S.S. Shackleton engines flaire up as the largest vessel it tries to distance itself from the rest of the task force to lower the risk of the storm being attracted to the group.
Kyhid Zohl: | What was being called the signal source asteroid was no out of bounds for them to hope to approach.
Kee’ren: =C= “Tactical, reroute power from weapons to shield. I have a feeling phasers won’t be much of help. And reinforce SIF around torpedo launchers.”
Shallas: =C= We’re unable to find a calm area in the storm. It is only increasing in strength. We may need to draw back and come back once it’s settled.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Task group. Report in. Are you detecting any change in storm behaviour following formation separation? =C=
William Levesley: The Archangel reduces its power and exhaust output.
Ezreli: FX | The Hypatia is pulled from warp into the area, her engines flaring briefly before powering down.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Captains, if you’re seeing what we’re seeing, our entry route is quickly thickening. I’m not sure we want to risk going through it.. if the eye has shifted closer to the planet once more, then +
Kyhid Zohl: | … we might be safer to remain.
Leiari Rezan: Similarly, Vigilant reduces its power output to everything but shields. <C> "Do what you’d like, Weytahn, but Vigilance is not withdrawing. The likelihood that we’re facing some kind of weapon just->
Leiari Rezan: |> skyrocketed."
Shallas: |As the Weytahn moves to divert, it is once again struck by a massive blast of lightning arcing across its hull! Its shields briefly flicker, and the hull shows visible damage, though scans of the -
Shallas: - vessel show it holding up so far.
Kee’ren: =C= “Our shields are holding for now, but they are… getting sinked, rather than overloaded.”
Kyhid Zohl: | On the Tykera’s bridge, Zohl watches the storm patterns tighten again around the planet, his jaw is strained, just as he sees another starship emerge from warp.
Taral: =C= “U.S.S. Hypatia, do you read? Come in.”
Kee’ren: | A blast hits across the ventral side of the ship, the engine section flickering with sparks from deflector to the port nacelle which then blinks a few times before shutting down.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Hypatia, this is Tykera. We saw your sudden warp collapse on entry. Confirm your status and report if all hands are accounted for. =C=
Ezreli: FX | The Hypatia quickly returns to order, now stranded in the same storm as the others. Her comms are patched into the group and a message is sent. “Appologies for the delay.”
Kyhid Zohl: directs his conn officer to adjust heading to approach Hypatia if needed, but not to get too close just yet
Ezreli: =C= No damage or casualties, our warp field collapsed as we were approaching, inertial dampners held up for once.
Shallas: |Weytahn’s crew begins to lower the power output of it’s vessel, attempting to lower engine and electronic power in hopes of it having some effect on the storm.
Leiari Rezan: <C> “We’re on a timetable either way. Once our shields are gone, we’re put at substantial risk.” Vigilance danced around a strike of lightning, only to be struck a second time across her upper hull.
Kee’ren: | Liberty launches an ion probe, much like Kirk’s Enterprise, but advanced to 25th century technology. The probe heads for the nearest pocket of lightning bolts.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= We read you. That is good to hear. You join us at a most interesting time.
Leiari Rezan: <C> “Some of us should attempt to reach that device… and soon.”
Taral: =C= “Odd, Shckleton to Task force, the debris in the planets atmosphere has reformed. It’s pulling the storm back.”
William Levesley: =C= Reformed as in repaired or changed position?
Ezreli: =C= Interesting seems to be putting it midly. Let us know how we can help.
Taral: =C= “Changed position and previous gaps in the debris seems to have been filled.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= It’s no use Vigilant, that asteroid is beyond what we could reach at subwarp, especially going through the storm.
Kyhid Zohl: wasn’t quite sure what he had heard from the Shackletone then. "What? …confirm that, Captain Taral. You are reading the debris actively reforming and re-ionising.. ?
Leiari Rezan: <C> “Well, that gives us our way out. Tactical, target that debris, and prepare a full spread of quantum torpedoes. I want that debris turned to dust.”
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Could the storm be responding to its reformation rather than to fleet emissions?
William Levesley: =C= Easy Vigilant. Lets not anihaliate what we dont understand
Taral: =C= “Hold fire! We don’t know what’s making this debris, we could accidentaly make things worse.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Agreed. We do not yet understand the relationship between the debris, the storm, the signal and now its reformation
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Weytahn, based on your calculations of all our ship’s systems, how long do you think we can survive at current rate of storm activity…
Leiari Rezan: <C> "I understand that the the storm which is damaging our ships is being drawn to that debris. I’ll give you all some time, but my target lock isn’t going anywhere. As soon as it starts to pose a>
Leiari Rezan: |> severe risk to the fleet, it’s gone."
Kee’ren: =C= “Lieutenant Gorak… send a standard greeting message across all the optical and subspace frequencies. Direct it at the gas giant first, then towards that asteroid.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The Liberty’s transmission goes out across all bands with no reply. Whatever is shaping this region does not acknowledge such greetings… or is choosing not to answer.
Shallas: “Weytahn here, as discipline within the fleet has now broken down, we will withdraw to a safe distance to ensure the integrity of the ship.” |The smaller Weytahn indeed begins making its way out of -
Shallas: - the storm, or attempting to ,heading for hte periphery once the torpedos came out*
Taral: =C= Shackleton to fleet we will approach the planet and attempt to extract a debris sample."
Kee’ren: =C= “Gorak, let’s try the other way around. Run all recorded storm dynamics thus far through Universal Translator matrix.”
William Levesley: =C= The Archangel deployed class 4 probes on our way in you should be able to use those to triangulate a route out if required
Ezreli: If I may suggest a middleground, a probe sent closer to the debris may provide additional clarity, without risking the fleet.
Kee’ren: =C= “Helm, follow Shackleton towards the planet, prepare to provide any support to their ops.”
Taral: The Shackleton’s impulse engines glow red as it sets a course towards the planet and eye of the storm.
Kyhid Zohl: directed conn to approach Shackleton in formation
Kee’ren: | Liberty follows in concert.
Kyhid Zohl: | Various ships from the task group edge closer to the planet and the object
Leiari Rezan: Vigilance moves closer to the asteroid, maintaining its weapons lock.
William Levesley: | Archangel follows the task force but keeps sensors on the Vigilant as well. Watchign for any weapon launch
Kyhid Zohl: | The reformed mass hangs within the gas giant’s upper atmosphere, metal-like and ionisation readings indicate it to indeed be the epicentre of the eye of the storm’s new location.
Shallas: Weytahn moves towards the planet, its scanners attempting to discern if it’s atmosphere would protect from the storm.
Shallas: It also, pointedly, veers away from the object.
Taral: =C= “We will attempt to get a tractor lock on one of the objects and bring it in, stand by.”
Kee’ren: =C= “Ops, prepare modifications on the tractor beam to compensate for ion discharges in the vicinity. It may be calmer here, but any straddler discharge may hit us.”
Taral: U.S.S. Shackleton’s crew work hard at attempting to get a solid lock on any piece of the debris that it can.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= If you think it wise Shackleton. Tykera is on standby should you need assistance tractoring it. We have a modified heavier spec tractoring array.
Leiari Rezan: Was an answer given as to how long we have?
William Levesley: =C= What if we use our deflector arrays to create an opposite polarisation field around the object. Counter acting its current polarity. That could dissipate the storm again?"
Ezreli: If I may suggest before attempting to manipulate the object, we find out what action has caused it to reform.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= An intriguing idea Archangel.. a way to reverse this draw it is clearly having on the storm
William Levesley: =C= thats my theory. That would then give us time to investigate further before we all become lightning rods further
Kyhid Zohl: =C= The Shackleton noted particularly high ionisation within the planet’s atmosphere, and the object detected afar by the Liberty seemed to share that quality, is that correct Captains?
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= It may be what drives the process of attraction, and perhaps reformation when the ionised charge depletes over a long period?
William Levesley: =C= So it used the Planet like a recharging point?
Kee’ren: =C= “The distant rogue asteroid may have served as a secondary source of storm’s power when the planet, or rather this debris object in its gravitational well, is depleted.”
Taral: =C= “Shackleton to Tykera, we’re struggling to get a solid lock, I have an idea that your higher spec tractor beam might be able to pull off.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Gas giants are known to be highly charged systems, it seems sensible to use one to act as a battery if that is what one’s technology uses
Leiari Rezan: <C> “Shackleton, wee can link our own target lock with you, if you’d like.”
Taral: =C= “Go ahead Vigilant, we’ll attempt again.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Shackletone, what’s the idea, go ahead"
Taral: =C= Are you familiar with Fishing trawlers? Something similar to that, a wide angle tractor beam aimed at the debris might be capable of scooping one up."
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Fishing? oh… I see what you mean
Ezreli: =C= To capture all parts instead of separating a single part?
Taral: =C= "Exactly, or as much as possible.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= maybe separation is actually the right idea though… when the object was dispersed in debris, it held no… draw for the storm.
Kee’ren: =C= “Invert the tractor beam to disperse the object?”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= I think either doing that… or changing it’s ionisation are the two ideas thus far mentioned… aside from blowing it up.
Kyhid Zohl: consulted with his bridge officers during the pause in the comms.
Kee’ren: =C= “Tykera, Schakleton… We will circumnavigate to the other side of this object and pull it away from you. You could attempt to pull it way from us.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Copy Liberty. By the time you arrive, if we’ve not thought of another idea to try, I say we go for that one."
Kee’ren: =C= “Acknowledged.”
Taral: =C= “Maybe we can put a dampening field around the clustered debris?”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Sounds like a good plan B Shackleton. Is it something you can coordinate to have ready to initiate - between all ships at a moment’s notice, if this tractoring attempt goes bad?
Kee’ren: | With that, Liberty cautiously maneuvers around the object until it reaches the farther side, opposite of the rest of the group, while still maintaining optical line of sight, as the crew prepares++
Kee’ren: to fire a modified tractor beam on the others’ signal.
William Levesley: =C= Perhaps a opposite polarity burst from the deflectors as it comes appart may help?
Taral: =C= “We’ve already begun preperations.”
Kyhid Zohl: | With coordination, the Tykera also begins to take position near the reformed mass.
Kee’ren: =C= “Liberty to task group. We are in position.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= I think anything which may help disrupt whatever is causing this object to function is a good idea to try Archangel.
William Levesley: =C= Roger. We’ll try the burst, see if we can jam a wedge between the gaps as you pull
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Acknowledged Liberty. All ships, we are moving to disrupt the object with plan A.. standy plan B, and Archangel get ready with the bursts for both plans.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= initiate
Kyhid Zohl: | Tractor beams lance out in a coordinated pattern from both ships, their reach latching onto the reformed mass.
William Levesley: =C= Commencing reversed polarity particle burst from deflector
Kyhid Zohl: | The object resists at first, then begins to shear, fragments peeling away as ionisation spikes and the surrounding storm shudders, confirming the connection.
Kee’ren: =C= “Lieutenant Hillyan… fire the tractor beam. Compensate the pull with engines.”
Kyhid Zohl: | There seems to be a change in the storm, its swirling momentarily disrupted
William Levesley: =C= Deflector beam now at 30%
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Increase beam strength across the board, we’re having some effect.
Kyhid Zohl: | The dense clouds thin in uneven bands as the object is pulled apart, lightning sparking and ending erratically
Kee’ren: =C= “Coordinate the increase with other ships, redirect from unused phaser banks.”
William Levesley: =C= Beam at 50% increasing strength in incriments
Kyhid Zohl: | For a brief moment, the storm stops swirling entirely, as if confused by the sudden absence of its anchor’s integrity.
Kee’ren: =C= “Lieutenant Gorak, now that we have opened the object… scan for any technological imprint within the object itself.”
Kyhid Zohl: | As the object is pulled apart - seeming to break into very orderly shapes, as if like a mechanism of perfectly geometric shapes, the effect compounds quickly around them all.
Kyhid Zohl: | Scans of the object’s interior come back with no known matches; existing elemental materials seem aligned in strange molecular patterns as if assisted into form rather than naturally occuring.
Kyhid Zohl: | As the object continues to fragment, the storm’s violent currents begin to unwind, charged clouds disperse into slower, drifting arcs.
Taral: =C= “Looks like a success for Plan A”
Kee’ren: =C= “Liberty to the fleet. Whatever this is, it must be artificial. The shapes, constructs and even basic molecular bonds are unlike anything seen, even though known chemical elements are there.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Lightning fades to distant flickers, no longer causing issue to ship’s shields or safety and sensor interference drops sharply as the storm loses its focus and starts to move away once more
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Who says Plan A never works!?
Kee’ren: =C= “Gorak… scan the shapes for possible claytronic technological manipulation.”
Taral: =C= “Whose conferance room are we going to use for the debrief then?”
Kyhid Zohl: | At last, the storm settles. What remains drifts lazily through the nebula, no longer coiled or reactive. With the attractor broken, the region stabilises enough for sustained presence. +
Kee’ren: =C= “I invite you all aboard Liberty.”
Kyhid Zohl: | For now, the fleet can remain, study the system, and carefully manage whatever forces might yet draw the storm back again. Now that they know the functioning of the process.
Kee’ren: =C= “Liberty to the fleet. If you need damage control teams, please do share your requests.”
Taral: =C= We’re going to launch a sensor platform to monitor the plant and the disappation of the storm."
Taral: With the storm largely dispersed, U.S.S. Shackleton leaves a sensor platform behind to monitor the status of the system before departing.

nynik

‘The Hespera IX Incident’

Hespera IX is a small colony world, lightly populated, agrarian in nature, and until recently unremarkable. Over the last forty eight hours, long range sensors have detected escalating subspace shear beneath the planet’s crust. Vulcan Science Academy models now agree on one point… the instability is accelerating faster than predicted. The colony has been ordered to evacuate…

Transcript is missing emoted responses unfortuantely, but still reads largely intact. Sorry about that.

Session Transcript - Part 1

Kyhid Zohl: | Multiple flashes resolve as Starfleet and Alliance vessels drop from warp in the Hespera system, located on the distant frontier of Federation space. They approach Hespera IX
Kyhid Zohl: | … a quiet agrarian world now trembling beneath unseen forces. Below, the surface shudders under mounting tremors, communications have gone silent and
Kyhid Zohl: | …evacuation traffic is scrambling as the planet’s surface grows increasingly unstable
Caansomi: "C.D.S. Forde, here to aid in the evacuation.
Shallas: The Weytahn drops out of warp indeed, it’s sleek hull drifting towards the agrarian world. Its advanced sensors begin to scan the planet, seeking out pockets of life signs that might go unnoticed to
Liiear: =C= "This is Liiear, of the Cooperative vessel, Adamant here to aid with evacuation procedures.
Ki’ras: | Under command of Captain T’Mir, CDS Nez’rel warps in close to the planet, pinging all other vessels with simple text message. "We received the distress call on our return from Alliance exercises.+
Shallas: - less specialized vessels. A stream of data begins to flow out towards the Tykera and the two Caitian ships..Others are added as they comm in
Shallas: =C= This is the U.S.S Weytahn. We are here to help. Captain Zohl, we will assume standard orbit along side you. Our sensors are transmitting findings to all ships in the communications link
Ki’ras: ++The vessel’s cargo hauls and hangar bays have been reorganised to receive evacuees.
Passio: =C= "Commander Passio Tar’Nin of the R.R.W. Dhae’Rhian, here to assist in whatever ways we can
Ki’ras: =C= "Captains, this is Captain T’Mir. May I suggest we first attempt to deploy some form of communication with the planet and coordinate current evacuation vessels in orbit.
Kyhid Zohl: | A channel quickly opens across the responding vessels as usual acknowledgements and handshake protocols for allied ships take place. The situation is chaotic to begin.
Kyhid Zohl: | The evacuation from the planet is uncontrolled it seems, and there are already some issues with departing colony ships. With two having come very close to colliding on their assent from th
Kyhid Zohl: | atmosphere
Liiear: =C= "Agreed, with permission we will deploy a probe with the aim of cutting through the interferance.
Shallas: =C= "While you do that, we will take a look at our sensor readings. Perhaps they can tell us something about why there is interference.
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= A prudent suggestion, Captain T’Mir. Tykera will begin broad spectrum hails on all civilian and colonial frequencies. =C
Ki’ras: =C= "As a Caitian Defense vessel, we will defer to whatever Starfleet will command, given this is Federation colony.
Caansomi: "As will we. We are here to aid.
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Launch when ready Liiear. Coordinate your probe telemetry with the task group if you will
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "Given we are a carrier type, I would like to use our flight coordination centre, usually used for our fighter vessels, to attempt establish some control over traffic in the system.+
Ki’ras: ++Our two Shikaris escorts were unavailable for evacuation as they remiained behind on further exercises.
Liiear: =C= “Deploying probe.” *The Adamant launche a prob aimed towards the planets atmosphere hooked up with a subspace relay, the probe sends data to the fleet.
Shallas: =C= Nez’rel, we can lay out traffic buoys for you if that would help. They can mark safe flight paths and help establish a comms link between yourself and the ships.
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "That will be most helpful, Weytahn. If we focus on traffic control, our auxiliary vessels can then assist with physical evacution of colonists.
Shallas: "Agreed. If you can herd the evacuation ships into a stable path offworld, that will also leave clear skies for the evacuation.
Liiear: =C= "Probe deployed, You should be recieving telemetry now, we also linked in a subspace relay that should assist us in communicating with the surface.
Caansomi: "The Forde can take some heat, so we will try to save people from those far flung regions.
Passio: =C= "The crew of the Dhae’Rhian can hunt down the wayward professor. Whatever’s down there, me and my team can handle it, I guarantee.
Ki’ras: =C= "In case you need extra security and coordination, Nez’rel currently has 600 Caitian marines eager to help in more isolated areas should the need arise.
Kyhid Zohl: | Task group telemetry stabilises as vessels assume various roles in orbit. Shuttle bays cycle open across multiple hulls, with a flotilla of small craft already descending toward planet below
Kyhid Zohl: | The Cooperative’s probe punches through the upper interference layers of the atmosphere, its subspace relay activating. Signal strength rises sharply as frequencies stabilise
Kyhid Zohl: | A burst of static clears, replaced by transmissions from across the stricken world. Of people trying to contact loved ones, of efforts to escape
Kyhid Zohl: | They are concentrated in the colony’s primary settlement. Data is also now streamed about its power grid which has been damaged. Tremors are increasing in frequency.
Kyhid Zohl: | Civil authorities are overwhelmed, though efforts are still being made to extract civilians. They open comms to the fleet and approaching shuttles, helping to coordinate where extraction o
Kyhid Zohl: | aid is needed first
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "By the mercy of Seven Sages, it is chaos down there. Auxiliary vessels, shuttles and runabouts deployed. With colony comms re-established, we can tap into local traffic control centre.
Kyhid Zohl: | The Weytahn adjusts its position in high orbit to better refine its sensor feeds. Narrow band scans pierce cloud cover and plunge deep beneath the crust of Hespera IX.
Kyhid Zohl: | Data returns in layered pulses to the ship. Subspace shear, as identified by the Vulcan Science Academy from long-range scans, is confirmed at depth, but the pattern seems more rhythmic
Kyhid Zohl: | … rather than chaotic… oscillating in measured intervals across the interior of the planet. It does not resemble conventional tectonic collapse, nor any known geotechnical pattern.
Kyhid Zohl: | The Nez’rel’s flight coordination centre is quickly flooded with incoming transponder codes, distress pings and erratic flight vectors.
Kyhid Zohl: | Lanes of evacuation begin to stabilise under the Caitian crew’s direction… but the chaos is already in motion.
Kyhid Zohl: | Two civilian passenger vessels clip one another in upper atmosphere. Their captains panicked and deviated from the lanes. One loses impulse control and begins tumbling back to the planet
Kyhid Zohl: | … the other suffers hull breaches along its port flank and appears crippled but in stable orbit. Debris is falling planetside
Shallas: *On board the Weytahn, science teams get to work analysing the initial findings in specialized science labs. Geophysics starts doing the heavy lifting, analyzing the rythmic patterns to try to
Shallas: - determine an origin point. Meanwhile, the officers use the commuinications that were made open by LIIEAR in order to contact the planet’s scientists, investigating if any ancient ruins were ever
Liiear: =C= "With permission, I’d like to move the Adamant in to a position where we can begin getting some of that debris into a tractor beam.
Shallas: - found there. Even the NEZ’REL’s crew starts being contacted, Federation scientists seeking to collaborate with Caitian specialists in case they had any insights that wern’t in the databanks
Passio: The Dhae’Rhian moves into place on over the far regions, as close to the last coordinates of Prof. Keating. as it can be from orbit. The crew moves fast, deploying the ship’s limited smallcraft
Passio: as well as the ship’s single Valiant Armor, Valiant Majesty. Piloted by First Officer Ruby Valiens, the Armor begins doing all it can to assist with any atmospheric debris or distressed shuttles
Ki’ras: |Nez’rel successfully taps into colonial traffic control, but the initial info upload shocks both the crew and specialised computers at flight control centre. Clearly, it is a real chaos down there.
Kyhid Zohl: | Beyond the primary continent, the Forde and the Dhae’Rhian dispatch shuttles toward the remote agricultural regions and research outposts. Terrain here is very fractured and
Kyhid Zohl: | … great plumes of dust rise between vast fields of engineered crops as tremors intensify and the ground cracks open
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "Commander Ssera, reroute additional processing power to flight control centre. We need to establish full and detailed traffic control or people will starting colliding far too often.+
Ki’ras: ++"Nez’rel to Weytahn, we have received your call. Our science capabilities are somewhat limited, but we will begin rerouting all the comms and available data across the flotilla.+
Kyhid Zohl: | Working together to cross reference the last fragmented broadcast from Prof. Keating, both the Forde and Dhae triangulate a cluster of research greenhouses and habitat pods in the remote are
Ki’ras: ++"Lieutenant Shissar, deploy your platoon to the planet and begin assisting with herding those colonists to evacuation points.
Kyhid Zohl: | It is likely Prof. Keating can be found among these structures, but the interference caused makes biosign pinpointing all but impossible
Ki’lana: =C= "This is Chief Narev, signals aren’t my main specialty but I bet I can use some probes and structures on the surface, clear through the interference.
Ki’lana: =C= "Like uh, bouncing.
Liiear: *The Adament begins to move into a position to get the falling passanger vessel into a Tractor beam.
Caansomi: The Forde is scanning for the professor, but the ship’s science team is having a hard time cutting through the interference from the storms
Passio: =C= "Forde, the Dhae’Rhian is having a bit more luck with our enhanced arrays, but not by much. We’ve narrowed down a location, but we’ll still have to hit the surface and hunt the professor down+
Passio: "The old fashioned way.
Caansomi: "Sounds like a plan. I can get an away team ready.
Ki’ras: |First platoons are deployed to outlying inhabited areas as 8 shuttles and four runabouts from Nez’rel begin the evac assistance with aux vessels from other ships in flotilla.|
Kyhid Zohl: | The tumbling passenger ship continues to lose altitude, its hull beginning to glow faintly from atmospheric friction. Internal life signs remain strong but chaotic. The Adamant’s tractor
Shallas: *On board the Weytahn, the science teams keep working. The geophysics team pass their findings on to the biology lab, who begin running patern analytics on the electric signals, seeking to match the
Shallas: - pulses to biochemical signals and try to discern a pattern as if they came from a living organism, essentially treating the pulses as biochemical signals being sent in a body
Kyhid Zohl: | … beam races outward to snare it. Struggling at first but finding a firm grip. It manages to stabilise the ship’s descent
Shallas: =C= Weytahn here. Our science teams are making progress on the analysis. Hopefully, we’l be able to slow the rate of collapse or even prevent the worst of the damage, but I fear that will not be in
Shallas: - time for the people on the planet
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "Weytahn, do you mean we may not have enough time for full evac?
Shallas: =C= We don’t know that at this time, Nez’rel. But the faster we can get the people offworld the better
Ki’lana: =C= "If our gee- if our professor still hasn’t reached us at this point I figure he’s trapped, what was his last know location?
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "Understood, Weytahn. Captains Shallas and Zohl, may I suggest either of you declare martial law over the colony. It would… give us more liberty at herding people to evac points.
Passio: Taking note of the debris falling away from the collision, Sub-Commander Valiens is forced to think fast and do the one thing she can think to do. Her Armor rushes in, panels on it’s arms opening
Ki’lana: =C= "Captains i’ve got my team down here doing the best they can down here but the quakes have lowered the maximum possible output of the power stations down here…. Ah.. Crap.
Caansomi: "What is it?
Ki’lana: =C= "Get out! Everyone get out!
Kyhid Zohl: | The Adamant’s hold on the passenger ship helps bring it to stable orbit. The ship has suffered extremee structural stress in the process and must be evacuated immediately
Passio: to reveal a pair of small missile arrays
Liiear: =C= "Liiear to Civilian vessel, this is the Adamant, We are able to beam your passangers and crew on board on your word.
Caansomi: Caansomi and her away team don’t think twice, following the other team out
Shallas: =C= Weytahn here. I’m afraid I have no authority over planetary affairs, only the colony leaders can make that call
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Zohl here. I will speak with the colony governor and get martial law declared on your advice Captain
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "Or at least some kind of emergency state of affairs on behalf of Starfleet. I am afraid as a CDS officer, I have no such authority outside of Caitian Union.
Liiear: SHould the Captain of the Civilian vessel consent the Adamant would begin beaming survivors on board, though it is far from the most comfortable ship
Kyhid Zohl: | The Adamant transports the civilians as the passenger ship’s captain agrees - keen to get his people off the downed ship. As patterns begin rematerialising aboard the Cooperative vessel
Kyhid Zohl: | … there is an immediate change in the faces of those rescued. They are met by a stark, metallic interior with alcoves unmistakable in their origin. For a heartbeat there is stunned silence
Kyhid Zohl: | Several passengers faint outright, and others recoil in terror at the sight of Borg architecture surrounding them. Yet some recognise the Cooperative crest and give assurances to their fello
Kyhid Zohl: | evacuees
Liiear: =C= "Adamant to fleet, the dust from the tectonic stress is begining to interfer with communication, we will attempt to compensate remotely, there maybe some connection issues as we do so.
Passio: Ruby examines her consoles’ targeting readouts closely, focus replacing panic as she plots a series of impacts that will shatter the falling debris in an exact sequence to result in near total
Ki’lana: =C= "We’re clear!?… We’re clear! Had a roof collapse in the room we were in. We’re getting back to work.
Kyhid Zohl: | Valiens surges forward through the debris cloud. Missiles flare to life, streaking outward. One after another, tumbling fragments are intercepted and vaporised in bright flashes
Passio: +disintigration
Liiear: Science and engineer teams aboard the Adamant begin scrambling to remotely compensate for the Interference now affacting the probe
Ki’ras: =C= "Nez’rel to Adamant, although system traffic is jammed, we will deploy a series of probes as comm satelittes to ensure your channels are opened. Chief Petty Officer Ki’lana, do you require relief
Ki’ras: +team assistance?
Kyhid Zohl: | The majority of the debris field disintegrates before it can descend… but one larger piece, apparently connected to a failing shield generator, withstands a missile hit and slips through
Ki’lana: =C= "I think for now Captain what we need is extra pairs of hands, we’ve got enough people working on power but we need a whole other set of people making sure the damn place doesn’t collapse on us.
Kyhid Zohl: | The single piece of debris tears through the upper atmosphere and impacts directly upon the colony’s primary settlement’s fusion reactor complex. A blinding column of fire and dust erupts
Kyhid Zohl: | .. and comms go offline entirely across the planet once more. Those on the ground in the main settlement would witness something akin to a nuclear-like explosion
Ki’lana: =C= “Holy-” is all the engineer manages to get off
Ki’ras: =C= (T’Mir) "Understood, CPO. We are sending damage control teams on the next round of shuttles to assist you.
Kyhid Zohl: | The reactor complex was located sufficiently away from the settlement’s main occupied areas, by design, and this reduces the lethal impact of its destruction somewhat
Ki’ras: | T’Mir hisses orders on the bridge. "Helm, get us into northern polar region, we have to buy time for those shuttle and runabouts dropping off the colonists. And what in the whiskers name exploded+
Ki’ras: ++down there?
Ki’ras: |With so much traffic going on, the giant Caitian carrier moves further north to the position, while maintaining any remaining comms with the fleet and the colony.|
Shallas: =C= I believe that was a nuclear power plant. And I’m afraid in it’s absence the planetary communication’s grid went down."
Shallas: *While the Weytahn’s scientists perform research, the ship itself descends into a lower orbit. In the absence of a comm’s network, V’Lani’s ship begins dropping off commuunication’s bueys, hoping to
Shallas: - create a small, secondary communications grid that would connect the evacuation ships to the Carrier of T’mir. It would start small, and expand with time..
Kyhid Zohl: | The shockwave nonetheless ripped through the settlement’s outer districts, flattening agricultural silos and impacting the spaceport, but the primary habitation zones were spared the worst.
Ki’ras: =C= "Nez’rel to the fleet. Another wild suggestion. In the absence of main power plant, we are considering to emit a power supplying beam to one of the main power converter facilities in order to+
Ki’ras: provide power to at least most populated areas.
Kyhid Zohl: | Casualty estimates spike… but stabilise. Comms are limping along now, only partially restored. Fires rage and secondary explosions ripple through power conduits remaining
Ki’ras: =C= "I will be also deploying the entire complement of Caitian marines to the surface. I am afraid we may lose control completely down there.
Kyhid Zohl: | The deployed buoys gradually restore more of the comms net, and coordination to deal with the aftereffects of the reactor disaster begin to take shape
Ki’ras: |As T’Mir speaks, CDS Nez’rel flight control centre, now a communication-coordination centre, begins to reconnect with the colony following Weytahn’s maneuver.|
Shallas: =C= “Weytahn here. There are bigger problems then power right now. People are dying in the aftermath of that explosion. We are restoring the comm network. Nez’rel, you said you had marines to spare.”
Shallas: "Can they perform search and rescue operations on the surface? There’l be many wounded that need evacuation.
Ki’ras: =C= "600 individuals can go right now, I have ordered another 200 of reserve to get ready. They perform S&R.
Ki’ras: **They canperform S&
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Zo- coughing Zohl here, we’re starting to see reports of casualties due to the debris strike. If power can be augmented through secondary grids, do so, we’ll need it down here.
Shallas: =C= Please send them down to the population centers, particularly to the burning areas, and hospitals that have lost power.
Shallas: "As for power…I doubt our ability to power an entire planetary grid, but we’l do what we can.
Kyhid Zohl: | Elsewhere a narrow band transmission suddenly is received across the flailing coms net. It is fragmented, distorted, but unmistakably from Prof. Keating once more.
Shallas: *The Weytahn, already in low orbit, begins to hover over the primary power generators remaining. A little work from the engineering team, and a power transfer beam begins to connect the ship to the
Shallas: - major settlements..
Ki’lana: =C= "-It on? You’re sure?! Hell! Can anyone hear us?
Ki’ras: =C= "Understood, Weytahn. Given our aux vessels are preoccupied, we will make the low orbital drop of the marines to key areas. Then we will power up the grid… Ki’lana we can hear you, but poorly.
Kyhid Zohl: | Crews from the Forde and Dhae are close to where the transmission came, deep within the inland research greenhouse complexes
Ki’ras: **low orbital pod drop
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= I read you. State your name and rank =C
Caansomi: "Caansomi Starr, captain of the C.D.S. Forde.
Ki’lana: =C= "Oh for.. Ki’lana Narev, Chief Petty Officer. A giant piece of piss-ship chunk hit the surface, based on what just happened and the fact i’m picking up radiation, I figure that thing just hit <c
Ki’lana: …Some kind of nuclear reactor, which means we’re going to be hit with massive amounts of radiation poisoning within the hour.
Kyhid Zohl: | A breakthrough ripples through the Weytahn’s science labs. Refined sensor modelling reveals that the subspace shear is not tectonic in origin at all… it is being modulated by a bioelectric
Kyhid Zohl: | … field emanating from deep within the planetary core. Further correlation confirms the field is not isolated. It resonates outward along vast networks of native flora across Hespera IX
Kyhid Zohl: | Each cluster acts as a conduit in some sort of planetary network. The tremors are not random fractures… they are connected to whatever process the field surrounding the core is undergoing
Ki’ras: | (CSO K’mei R’Relar) “Captain T’Mir… we just got most unusual report summary from Weytahn. If I read this right… there might be something alive out there, causing all this.”|

nynik

Session Transcript - Part 2 (interlude between main sessions)

ATS Interlude - The Hespera IX Incident

[missing a little bit from the start; but essentially folks arriving aboard the USS Weytahn]

Shallas: offers a respectful smile and a nod to the other Captain as he enters, and Ki’lana as well. Seeing the group mostly assembled, V’lani guides them off the bridge, where every officer seems to be -
R’Rel: “Captain Zohl, Chief Petty Officer Narev. I hope you are both better.”, he nods.
R’Rel: (T’Mir nods)
Shallas: offers a respectful smile and a nod to the other Captain as he enters, and Ki’lana as well. Seeing the group mostly assembled, V’lani guides them off the bridge, where every officer seems to be -
Ki’lana: flicks one of her ears, looking up towards the Captain in a split second and back down to the PADD. “Captain.” She says quickly, performing a potentially incomprhensible to all but herself <C>
Ki’lana: …series of calcuations.
Shallas: - working on the evacuation and science, into the less crowded meeting room besides the bridge. The meeting table, with the planet in the background, is adorned with pots of tea and coffee, along -
Kyhid Zohl: | The holo emitters aboard the Weytahn’s bridge produce a flash and Captain Kyhid Zohl materialises in a full body relay; his form flickering as surface interference strains the signal. +
Shallas: - with a small tray of nuts and berries for a healthy refreshment.
Kyhid Zohl: For now Captain. It’s good to still be in one piece down here.
Kyhid Zohl: visually greets the others
Ki’lana: mutters to herself as she types faster on her PADD, occasionally having to erase a mistake she’s made given her movements are seemingly unable to keep up with whatever she is working on.
Shallas: Captains, Chief, come, let’s give the bridge some room! It’s good to see you all. When we lost your signal on the comms I feared the worst, were you caught in some kind of nuclear explosion or -
Shallas: - something? She asks after entering the meeting room, expecting hte group to follow
Ki’lana: “Explosion. Yeah. Almost. Uh huh.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Within a moment’s passing the image of Zohl reappears within the briefing room.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) sits down. “Forgive me, Captain Shallas, but my slightly older muscles have been up an about for almost three shifts without a sleep.”, he purr-chuckles and reaches for a few nuts and++
R’Rel: ++ a glass of water.
Shallas: That’s all right, Captain. You’ve earned every moment of rest. If it wasn’t for your crew’s assistance in evacuating, and the marines helping on the surface, I think things would be a lot worse.
Ki’lana: lets out a rapid fire: “Birds. Eggs. Baskets.”
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “I am preparing to deploy 200 more people from ship’s regular security, but that’s about as much we can provide. Nez’rel needs at least 2000 individuals for a skeleton crew.”
Ki’lana: flicks an ear.
Ki’lana: “Counting, not baskets.”
R’Rel: (T’Mir) looks to Ki’lana. “What are you working on, Officer?”, he aska curiously.
Kyhid Zohl: ’s away uniform is dust stained and a dermal patch is visible across his brow. Though not visible, there are intermittent sounds behind him he is being projected from the governor’s damaged office.
Kyhid Zohl: We were close enough to feel the shockwave. The reactor complex is entirely destroyed from what we can tell.
Shallas: opens her mouth to speak, but lets the two Caitians confer first. KYHID is given a look of concern. By contrast, she seems fit, if a little short on sleep.
Ki’lana: “Not an officer. Calculations. Head’s moving, got to keep focus.”
Ki’lana: “Radiation spread.. Predictions..”
Shallas: A piece of space debris from a ruined starship struck the power plant near your location.
Kyhid Zohl: Casualties here <break in transmission> are significant, but far lower than they might have been thanks to the reactor’s location. Your marines and medical teams are making the difference. +
Kyhid Zohl: The local teams are struggling, but take great solace in the efforts by your crews captains
Shallas: I’l send any medical staff we have down to the planet alongside T’mir’s marines. …It may not be much, but we’l take any wounded we can muster.
R’Rel: “That debris… was really bad luck in already worsening situation. Had I not hesitated to deploy the fighters…”, he clicks his tongue and shakes his head, causing his gray mane to wave a little.
Ki’lana: Chief.
Shallas: In the meantime, we are providing power to the planet’s grid, but I fear the Weytahn wont be able to keep a whole world powered for long. ..Plus, we can only spare small amounts.
Ki’lana: finally pauses, she lets out a deep breath that she took in at some point.
R’Rel: “We’ve rerouted power from hangar bays and their support facilities given we don’t use fighters to provide power, but as you say Captain Shallas, it won’t last forever.”
Kyhid Zohl: Chief Ki’lana, we have a team returning from near the reactor at present with revised data you may find useful. There are three other teams establishing localised sensor nets to aid in your work
Kyhid Zohl: .. to track the radiation extent across the colony
Shallas: reaches down towards the t able, picking up a pot of tea and pouring herself a cup. It seems to be a classical darjeeling blend, smooth, but flavourful.
Kyhid Zohl: appears to be talking to someone out of view, perhaps the govenor or another official. He nods, and can be heard referring to the power grid.
Shallas: drinks tea in front of R’Rel.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) munches in silence as he listens to others converse.
Ki’lana: “Odds are I’ve got a good prediction already Captain, I didn’t like sitting on my hands.”
Kyhid Zohl: Governor, I understand… yes. We will maintain orbital power feed as long as we are able to. <Zohl turns to face those in the briefing room>
Kyhid Zohl: As you might have heard, anxiety here is high, but do what we can on the power relay for as long as we can. We can have ships from the fleet rotate as needed to give the Weytahn some time to recharge
Shallas: That would be appreciated. Our science labs are using a lot of our power reserves. The good news is, they seem to be on to something.
Kyhid Zohl: Right now that power is helping to prioritise the medical centre and the triage zones.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “What is your prognosis, Chief?”
Kyhid Zohl: flickers but his image steadies. In what seems to be a slight time-lag, he responds to a previous remark by T’Mir. “Captain… these things happen. I’m sure you did everything you good up there.”
Ki’lana: “Obviously the whole region the plant was in is totally unsafe, winds are going to make the next 2 regions uninhabitable within a week and likely more within a month if we don’t contain it.”
Kyhid Zohl: Our job is to roll with the punches, as the humans say… but that was one mighty punch.
Ki’lana: “Oh, it’s carrying it west.”
Ki’lana: “I strongly suggest an EVA suit unless you want to pee blood as a parlor trick.”
Shallas: Radiation cleanup should be able to treat the affected regions and restore habitality over alonger period though, surely?
Shallas: …Assuming, that is, this planet will even survive the seismic events it’s undergoing.
Shallas: sighs, lowering her cup and rubbing at the markings on her forehead in frustration.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) nods to Ki’lana. "We will take these radiation dynamics into account. I will confer with Adamant about power rotation. Though I wonder… would colonists feel endangered if they were provided+
Ki’lana: "The immediate region is obviously not going to see habitation except maybe in the later part of a vulcan’s lifespan, the other two will take years, thankfully it’ll be contained by the geography <c>
R’Rel: + regeneration procedures from the Adamant."
Ki’lana: …But that means mountain cleanup."
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.
Kyhid Zohl: EVA suits noted, Chief… <Zohl exhales slowly, seemingly reading a report just in> “The priority must remain evacuation and orbital treatment of the populace”
Ki’lana: “Then that means engineers and scientists on radiation containment.”
Kyhid Zohl: Regeneration … do you mean via alcoves Captain?
Kyhid Zohl: looks surprised but then considers it
Shallas: I think we need to remember that you’re evecuating civillians, not military personnel.
Shallas: They’re likely to respond very poorly to anything Borg, no matter how well intended. I wouldnt bring them near a regeneration alcove unless they absolutely had to.
Kyhid Zohl: Alcoves would be the most efficient, and Liiear will certainly have plenty to spare… but I suspect persuading anyone to step into Borg alcove will be a tall order even in a crisis. Perhaps if +
Kyhid Zohl: … there are other regenerative options
Shallas: Well, the rest of the ships in the fleet do have facilities to house and treat refugees..But perhaps we should put out a call for a larger vessel to assist..
Kyhid Zohl: Still… any port in a storm. Some colonists seem highly resistant to leaving at all, even now here within the main settlement despite the radiation. They firmly believe Prof. Keating’s instruction
Kyhid Zohl: I’ve not heard anything about efforts to locate him. But we’ve got our hands full here at least.
Ki’lana: “Punch him in the nose, got it.”
Ki’lana: “Did I say that out loud?”
Shallas: ..Remind me, what did the professor say, exactly?
Ki’lana: shrugs her shoulders.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “I meant the introduction of regenerative nanoprobes, but I see your point.”,he nods.
Kyhid Zohl: | Someone acted to call up the fragmented vid-file of the Professor’s sent before any had arrived. In it he was heard calling for calm, that there was nothing to worry about, despite the +
Ki’lana: “Oh yeah, radiation, tissue damage, one of you probably knows more than me on the science doctor side.”
Kyhid Zohl: | seismic shearing and fracturing the colony had been experiencing. Then later, during the initial evacuation efforts, there was again a fragment, this time more complex but also more fragmented.
Shallas: …What was this professor’s speciality, even?
Shallas: watches the viewscreen with a deep frown.
Ki’lana: “Head in the sand method of peacekeeping. That’s never bitten anyone in the a- backside.”
Shallas: I was hoping for something a little more grounded, Chief.
Kyhid Zohl: Professor Alexander Keating, xenobotany and subspace field dynamics… at least according to his file
Kyhid Zohl: This whole colony is a greenhouse for experimental crop techniques
Kyhid Zohl: Something about the unique properties of the planet’s soil
Shallas: Xenobotany…
R’Rel: (T’Mir) turns to Shallas. “Captain, you mentioned something about bioelectric field being generated from the planet’s core, if memory serves me.”
Shallas: Yes, I did, Captain.
Shallas: Our science labs have found indications that the shearing and seismic activity might be-…If not biologically driven, then at least resembling a biological process.
Kyhid Zohl: I’m told that aside from overseeing the general scientific duties of the colony’s programmes, the professor was also studying the native flora and their interaction with the testing strains for crops
Shallas: I hate to say it, but that Professor may not be completely full of hot air. Though he’s clearly overlooked some really vital details in his assesment of the situation.
Shallas: ’s eyes fix on Kyhid’s hologram.
Kyhid Zohl: ‘looks’ to where Shallas stands, keen to hear more about what has been found by the Weytahn’s analysts
Shallas: Captain Zohl, can we recieve a complete data export of all the experiments they were performing here and their most recent status? It’s possible some of them have caused the current activity.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “Is this bioelectric field interfering with our transporters?”
Kyhid Zohl: I’ll get that information sent by priority Shallas. I know the egg-heads down here won’t want to give it up freely
Shallas: is not impressed.
Shallas: Hrmpf! Well they’d better if they want their planet to remain whole.
Shallas: But yes. Geophysics couldn’t make heads or tails of that patterns of the disturbances, or the rythm. But they looked awefully familliar to the Bioscience team.
R’Rel: “Captain Shallas… this may sound insane, but so is this entire situation. Have you tried running those pattern through a universal translator?”
Shallas: The working theory right now is that the seismic disturbances, and the interference field, is either the result of a biological process or mimicking it to a remarkable degree.
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.
Shallas: Right now, we’re working on trying to decipher the pulses by treating them as electrochemical signals - Essentialy, we’re trying to translate what they mean.
Shallas: …So we havn’t tried treating them as language yet..Exactly. But rather -…Like instructions sent from the brain to the hand, for example.
Kyhid Zohl: A translator? You think this… effect or field or whatever could be some form of sentience?
Ki’lana: “It wouldn’t be the weirdest sentient thing i’ve heard of.”
Kyhid Zohl: looks unconvinced but then, they were out on the frontier of known space
Ki’lana: “By the way Captain I may have at least a solution to buy is more time on the radiation angle, and make it easier for proper scrubbing.”
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “My thoughts exactly, Chief. But yes Captain Zohl, I wouldn’t be surprised if the universal translator produced something meaningful.”
Shallas: To be honest, I do think it has merit. The unusual flora and fauna, the quality of the soil..It’s possible it is all connected in some kind of..Planet wide organism. Or maybe..To be more precise..
Shallas: …Like a mycelial network.
Shallas: No, not the subspace one, the normal ones. Don’t even go there.
Shallas: But have any of you heard of fungus computers?
R’Rel: “Human concept of Gaia.”
Ki’lana: “I was about to run out the door screaming.”
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “I read theoretical papers some 50 standard years ago on the subject of these fungi machines.”
Kyhid Zohl: raises an eyebrow, “Mycelial… uh… so if this theory, and it is just a theory… if it holds water then we could be looking at the start of a ripple-effect through a subspace mycelial network?”
Shallas: No! Normal fun-…Ugh. J’ula’s really did a number on science with that little stunt of hers.
Kyhid Zohl: With the potential to affect other worlds? I need something more concrete than a theory if this is to be relayed to Starfleet Command Captains
Shallas: starts gesturing restlessly with her hands as Kyhid’s imagination starts going off the rails.
Kyhid Zohl: inclines his head… perhaps he had jumped the phaser… “Okay, okay, just follow your gut on figuring out that angle. If the Tykera can assist with anything you need just say. Better to check it”
Shallas: It was discovered a long time ago on earth that mushroom organisms could be used to create a biological computer. They turned out to be able to send signals and pulses that sent instructions in a -
Shallas: - very similar way as electronic devices do. So much so that the “mushroom computer” was briefly c onsidered a thing.
Shallas: Other races actually made that principle work, and use living or biological computers or even starships.
Kyhid Zohl: I’ve had it up to here with mycelial networks spanning the galaxy. If this is just a regular fungal disaster it’ll be good news
R’Rel: (T’Mir) munches on nuts again, listening to Shallas.
Kyhid Zohl: had a grin on his face, but he removed it as he glanced at someone off-screen
Shallas: Right now, we have a theory…That the plantlife on this world is somehow…Connected, on a planetwide level, and is capable of sending…Instructions, in a similar way..
Ki’lana: “My collar’s yellow so obviously i’m out of my depth, but from what I’ve learned wetware computers aren’t exactly new in concept.”
Shallas: No…Though this would be a presumably naturally formed, planetwide “wetware computer” of sorts..One that might be responsible for the soil quality.
Kyhid Zohl: And you think Keating might know more, perhaps on the nature of the bioelectrical field? Then we need to find him, even if he’s lost his mind as his transmissions might suggest
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “And a self-sufficient system at that. Just needing the local sunshine.”
Shallas: His speciality would suggest he does - It would explain why he thinks there’s no cause for alarm.
Ki’lana: “You don’t think he hooked his noodle to the damn thing do you?”
Shallas: shrugs, helplessly. Without the professor present there was no way to tell.
Shallas: In the absence of the professor, I’m having my teams study other biological computers and neural networks in nature to try and build a..“Universal translator” model for plants, you could say.
Kyhid Zohl: I’ll see if we can access the professor’s public data at the main research campus here in the city. It’s not linked to the network.
Shallas: If we can figure out what the pulses mean, and what they’re doing, we might be able to send back pulses of our own and stabilize the planet..
Kyhid Zohl: ’s face seems to grow concerned
Shallas: starts taking an interest in Ki’lana.
Kyhid Zohl: …do we truly wish to begin transmitting pulses into a planetary scale biological network we barely understand? Let’s at least get more of the population evacuated before we start testing the
Kyhid Zohl: theory in that way
Shallas: …I agree. I think we need the Chief’s expertise to come up with a working calculation on how much time we have to evacuate the rest of the planet.
Kyhid Zohl: I don’t know much on such thigns, so will defer to those who do, but if this is a self regulating system, might external interference be interpreted as a stimulus… or a threat?
Shallas: Ideally, this is the kind of study that should be done without colonists on the surface.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “Until that time, I’ll focus to accelerate the evacuation. I will also transmit an emergency transmission to any Caitian ship. Hell, I’ll even send a tranmsission to Ferasan Dominion.”
Ki’lana: “Can do. Anyway, if he linked his head meat to the thing there should be an increase of bioelectric activity.”
Ki’lana: flicks an ear.
Ki’lana: “…Hmm.. You don’t….. Nah… Well maybe?..”
Shallas: …Go on.
Ki’lana: “I mean what if his prodding of the damn thing is what sparked the whole mess downstairs?”
Shallas: That is also possible. It’s even technically part of the risk of becoming a colonist.
Shallas: Many a calamity has been unchained because we probed too heedlessly at things we did not understand.
Ki’lana: “Like poking a syringe into a nine year old..”
Shallas: The fertility of this planet..The extreme suitability to experimentation..Perhaps we should have asked more questions intead of taking it for granted.
Ki’lana: “They’re not ready and they’ll squirm.”
R’Rel: “Like Aurek incident.”
Kyhid Zohl: Captain T’Mir… I would exercise caution with that last idea. You will know better than me that the Ferasans rarely ignore an opportunity where Caitian vessels are operating to manipulate the +
Kyhid Zohl: .. situation to their advantage. It could introduce an unknown element into our efforts.
Shallas: Nevertheless, I agree with the Captain, and would argue further that, in the unlikely event that any Ferasan ships ARE in range, they will pick up the transmission regardless.
Kyhid Zohl: What begins as humanitarian aid can swiftly become political theatre for them. I will not oppose additional assistance… but it requires a careful hand.. er.. paw.
Ki’lana: “I just call these puppies hands.”
Ki’lana: raises a hand and wiggles her fingers.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) "Well, if we could just penetrate the bioelectric field, the transporter cycles would have been done in flick of a tail. But… that might provoke the theoretical super-organism we are++
R’Rel: discussing.", he says and chuckles and Ki’lana’s gesture.
Kyhid Zohl: seems to consider Shallas’ point about how “we’ve” been caught meddling with a world we didn’t understand
Shallas: .. .That will all depend on the Captains currently on the surface.
Ki’lana: “Engineer in me says track the where the impulses are at their most comprehensible.”
Shallas: If they cannot convince the colonists to agree to evacuation, we may have no choice but to try our best with the pulses.
Kyhid Zohl: is further unnerved by the reference to the Aurek One Colony, “That.. that was a regretable sitiuation Captain, and one from which lessons have not entirely been learned I suspect”
Kyhid Zohl: Well, we fortunately secured and broadcast the governor’s message about martial law being called into effect. So we do have a open hand to remove the colonists as we will. I believe other captains may
Kyhid Zohl: already be using it to remove those resistant in the other regions
Ki’lana: “I suggest EVA suits if you haven’t already.”
Shallas: True, but trying to remove them by force should be a last resort. There are thorny questions of independance involved in that.
Kyhid Zohl: takes into had a new PADD. “hmm, I’m checking here… Starfleet Command’s files on the Federation Colonial office’s documentation for Hespera IX”
Shallas: And also the potential for riots.
R’Rel: (T’Mir) stands up from his chair. “No critique was meant, Captain Zohl.”, then gazes across everyone in the room. "Nez’rel crew and provisions will be at everyone’s disposal. Whether you need a++
Shallas: Even Captain T’mir’s marines are nowhere near sufficient to control a planetary population.
R’Rel: ++ a surgical scalpel, a medkit, a science brain."
Kyhid Zohl: reads, "It says “Hespera IX was designated a priority agrarian test world. Its soil composition and climate were deemed uniquely suited to aggressive agricultural strains…” Zohl pauses +
Kyhid Zohl: continues, “… crops intended to supplement replicated rations in prolonged conflict zones. ” He pauses. “hmm, so the emphasis was yield, resilience and speed of growth.” +
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “That is true, Captain Shallas.”, then turns to Zohl. “Aggressive agricultural strains?”
Kyhid Zohl: I see no reference to planetary scale bioelectric phenomena in these reports at least. So perhaps a dormant aspect come activated by the colony?
R’Rel: (T’Mir) “Or created it?”
Shallas: Both are possible. I’m inclined to let our scientists find proof of either before we jump to conclusions.
Kyhid Zohl: nods at the repeat of that term… "Yes, that doesn’t sound so farmer-friendly… there’s no further information here. Again, I’ll see to it that we access the Professor’s public files, but even +
Kyhid Zohl: .. they may be light on such detail. We just have to find him. Hopefully he’s not fallen down one of these gaping holes in the surface
R’Rel: “Captains, if you will excuse me… my age is getting the better of me, and we still have an evacuation to run.”
Kyhid Zohl: Increasingly there is a push to augment or supplement replicated foodstores particularly in conflict zones, or situations where prime directive complexities arise
Ki’lana: “Well I doubt he was growing… Wait hold on the radiation too. That could lead to breakdown.”
Shallas: Of course, Captain. Get some rest. You might need to let your XO take over for a little bit.
Shallas: And you’re right, Chief.
Shallas: There’s a fine chance the radiation is going to have side effects on the biological impulses.
R’Rel: “Thank you, Captains. Do get some rest as well.”
Ki’lana: “Exactly. It’s going to overload the shroom brain.”
Shallas: Let’s hope not. I dont want to find out what a planetary brain high on drugs will do.
Ki’lana: “And if i’m right about that initial poking causing this problem in the first place.. Well…”
Shallas: smiles warmly with the optimism of a scientist, clasping her hands together.
Ki’lana: “Drugs? I wouldn’t say that.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The holo image of Zohl flickers more violently, static crawling across his outline as the signal destabilises. He turns slightly, listening to an urgent report off screen.
Shallas: Let’s not jump to any conclusions just yet..For now let’s focus on the evacuation so that we can take our time to study the effects.
Kyhid Zohl: I am being informed the interference is increasing. Radiation spikes are degrading the surface relay grid. +
Ki’lana: “I mean neural nodes are sensitive Captain, it could sever connections.”
Ki’lana: “Which.. Might also be why we’re getting the interference too. Maybe.”
Kyhid Zohl: They are initiating a communications reset to harden the network against the surge. This holo-link will go down for a period. I’ll need to come back to you all when I have more information for yo
Shallas: Of course. It was good to speak to you, Captain. Stay safe down there.
Kyhid Zohl: nods, “Continue your analysis and theorising, but be ready to give me some actionable plans please. I will reestablish contact as soon as possible. Zohl out” The holo image flashes and is gone.

-paused-

nynik

Session Transcript - Part 3 (A)

Kyhid Zohl: | Outside the governor’s office complex, a temporary landing zone has been established amid cracked stone and falling ash. Portable floodlights cut through the dim haze as another shuttle +
Kyhid Zohl: | … lands. One of a series that has brought various Starfleet and aligned personnel to this place. Captain Zohl is there to greet them. Radiation monitors chirp as they emerge into +
Kyhid Zohl: | … the ruined complex. Medical teams guide evacuees toward the same shuttles, which take off again almost immediately. Transporters were entirely down.
Kyhid Zohl: gives a type of half wave at them as they come foward
Nalys: Nalys manifests in a green, Romulan transport beam, strangely alongside a Caitian in matching green colours. Mere hours ago, a truly massive Romulan warbird had emerged overhead and begun to assist -
Nalys: - in the evacuation efforts. With large medical and storage facilities, along with ample shuttles, the vessel was speeding up the evacuation of the main settlements considerably while the WEYTAHN -
Kyhid Zohl: Welcome to Hespera IX. Watch your footing, the ground’s unstable in places. We should head inside, unless you already have an EVA equipped. Radiation is still strong outside.
Nalys: - worked on the science aspect of it. Still, the Captain is clearly out of place in a mix of Federation and Caitian commanders
Nalys: nods, stepping forward with a rather heavy suitcase in her arm. “I have an EVA with me, but as you can see, not on me. Lead the way.”
Ki’lana: had been pouring over reports from a radiation afflicted area, she had taken all her medicine to help with radiation already. With the fur, she’d especially need it.
Ki’ras: “Marines’ armor can handle some bits of radiation, but let’s not risk it, I agree.”
Ki’lana: “You say that, then you get rads in the fur. I’d avoid that.”
Ki’lana: hops down.
Kyhid Zohl: gives an indication to where they all needed to go and begins to walk in that direction. “The situation here is fragile. I’ll bring you to the command centre now. Follow me”
Caansomi: A shuttle lands on the outskirts, and Caansomi gets out and follows the others.
Nalys: Lead the way..I’'d certainly like to keep my hair after today
Ki’lana: “Third afflicted region should be fine.”
R’Rowu: follows the group and especially Nal
Kyhid Zohl: | The group moves across the courtyard, stepping over small fissures that snake through the ground. Overhead, ash from the destroyed power plant dances in the light of emergency floodlights. +
Kyhid Zohl: | They pass into what was once the lobby of the complex. The ceremonial entrance hall has been stripped bare and converted into a triage centre.
Caansomi: “I am here to aid in the search.”
Ki’ras: looks around. “This seems to have been a promising colony site.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Stretchers line the floor where reception desks and couches once stood. Starfleet medics and civilian volunteers work side by side, treating burns, fractures and radiation exposure.
R’Rowu: nods towards Ki’ras “A shame the planet itself had other plans..”
Kyhid Zohl: slows only briefly, offering a firm nod to one medic stabilising a wounded colonist. It had been like this for quite a while. These were the lucky ones.
Ki’ras: “Captain T’Mir is planning to shed off some more of the main crew from Nez’rel.”
Kyhid Zohl: Yes, I’ve seen older colony’s with less infrastructure. It… it certainly was a promising colony. But… perhaps it will be again.
Ki’ras: “And send them here.”
Nalys: glances at R’Row. “Have our shuttle evacuate whoomever they can fit back to the Anarhai. We’l call for pick up once we are done here.”
Ki’lana: “Radiation scrubbing is going alright by the way Captain, we might actually be able to reduce the area of exposure from original projections.”
Caansomi: nods.
R’Rowu: nods towards Nalys and gives some orders through their communication device whilst keeping a calm voice*
Kyhid Zohl: I’m glad to hear it Chief. Your teams have been doing great work in the conditions
Kyhid Zohl: moves a crate of supplies out of the way as he continues to bring the arriving group towards a stairwell leading up to where the governor’s offices can be found.
Nalys: It was surprising to see so many vessels of the CDF here today - It’s good to see member worlds still have formidable fleets of their own.
Kyhid Zohl: | The second level is darker. Power here is rationed, corridor lights dimmed to a cold, intermittent glow. Sections of ceiling plating hang loose where the shockwave +
R’Rowu: looks at her commander a bit sceptical herself
Ki’ras: looks to Nalys. “With main Starfleet resources handling this multi-Borg threats, it falls on us, individual members to support the Khitomer Alliance locally, I’d say.”
Kyhid Zohl: | … travelled upward through the structure. Logistics officers cluster around portable consoles, tracking evacuee counts, radiation drift maps from Chief Ki’lana’s team and shuttle ops.
Nalys: Indeed~ One might almost forget the Federation has more fleets then just Starfleet! It’s strangely inspiring.
Nalys: nods and smiles, undeterred by the grim lack of lighting in this place.
Caansomi: “Precisely. Even though I’m a Starfleet officer, my ship is a Caitian ship.”
Passio: “Yeah. Honestly I had forgotten myself.” She laughs and places a hand behind her neck.
Ki’lana: “Remember when there was just one borg?”
Ki’lana: “Pffsh, I remember.”
Ki’lana: tapps a button on her shoulder, turns out that metal was a flashlight.
Kyhid Zohl: I’ve been most impressed by the grit shown by all our ground personnel here Captains. The local civilian administration did their best, but they were never trained for this.
R’Rowu: manages to walk the dimly lit corridors just fine. Her feline eyes might give her an advantage there
Ki’lana: “Well it’s not like they totally had a choice, limits and all.”
Nalys: I don’t think anyone can train for an entire planet suddenly deciding it’s no longer going to be stable.
Kyhid Zohl: slows at the final landing. He turns to the assembled officers. “Before we step in… you might note this: ” +
Kyhid Zohl: Governor Hillstra’s official briefings omit details that do not align with what I found in Keating’s private files. Have any of you had a chance yet to review those?
Passio: “Nah, but experience helps. And they’ve certainly never seen anything close to this. Not like…well, I suppose I can’t speak for everyone but my crew at least has.”
Caansomi: nods. “I’ve reviewed the files.”
Nalys: We only just arrived in system, but I’ve been able to have a look at some of the files the fleet shared.
Passio: “A bit, yeah. But I do sometimes skim that kinda sciency stuff.”
Nalys: I’m not surprised - Its almost standard procedure for planetary governments to doctor the truth.
Kyhid Zohl: ’s antennae angle slightly forward. “Well, if not, the short of it is that there is certainly more going on here which might be linked to the bioelectric field now causing issues.”
Kyhid Zohl: I believe Captain Shallas may be looking into that more on a global scale.
Ki’lana: “Mushrooms, Captain, mushrooms.”
Kyhid Zohl: I believe the Governor knows more about the off grid cultivation Keating was involved in. And… Starfleet Command’s involvement is still ambiguous to say the least.
Nalys: A mycelial like network doesn’t have to run on mushrooms. On alien worlds, any plantlife can form such a network.
Nalys: is not impressed.
Kyhid Zohl: We’ve had no response from Command on these enquiries. And that silence, truly unnerves me.
Kyhid Zohl: smiles at the Chief
Ki’lana: “Go figure.”
Caansomi: “Aye. Something seems wrong here.” Caansomi’s ears start to twitch, and her tail waves in the air.
Kyhid Zohl: I’m still holding out hope that no mushrooms are involved Chief.
Passio: “The professor probably could’ve told us more, but his last known location was a bust. We’re not even sure where he went. Assuming he’s still alive, anyway…”
Kyhid Zohl: Whether that knowledge is partial… or deliberate… remains to be seen. I intend to put the facts to her. But we also continue to need her support to conduct the evacuation - particularly among those +
Ki’lana: “Like I said before, not a scientist, that’s just my best guess. I’m still running that through my head.”
Kyhid Zohl: .. who are resistant to leave. I think they are mostly followers of the missing professor
Nalys: Well, if we apply a little bit of common sense it really makes sense. This planet is..Unique. I’m sure Starfleet is going to be unhappy non-Starfleet vessels are now aware of it.
Ki’ras: “I would hate to enforce evacuation at the point of my pistol, sir.”
Kyhid Zohl: Well any theory is better than no theory Chief. I know the Weytahn is testing everything it can against its models.
Nalys: If I may…You could covertly aquire files from the colony’s computer systems.
Ki’lana: “For those of you who don’t know, idea was our good professor poked and prodded the bioelectric grid enough the planet felt it.”
Kyhid Zohl: looked at the Romulan with interest. So the Republic know the planet has unique properties do they…
Nalys: A blackout like this leaves plenty of surveillance equipment offline.
Caansomi: “I agree. But we still need to evacuate this place. And I will aid in any way I can.”
Ki’lana: “And sorta figured he might have plugged his noodle into it.”
Ki’lana: “But well, theories.”
Kyhid Zohl: If he’s lost his mind, he presents a continuing danger if indeed he had some direct effect on what’s happening to this world.
Ki’ras: “So… we might be dealing with a giant organism here?”
Kyhid Zohl: But, either way, he’s still in the wind as they say. Though you likely have an update on that front <Zohl was looking to Caansomi and Passio>
Kyhid Zohl: I trust the search for the good professor is… ongoing?
Caansomi: “Looks like he’s near some of the greenhouses.”
Passio: “Yep. We’ve searched a few dozen of the greenhouse locations but there’s still hundreds to go. We just don’t have the manpower to search them all on foot.”
Kyhid Zohl: hundreds!
Kyhid Zohl: ’s expression tightens slightly
Passio: “Yep.”
Passio: ’s brow furrows and her lips contort into an annoyed frown.
Kyhid Zohl: hmm…. His notes referred to off grid cultivation sites. Somewhere where a particularly ‘aggressive’ strain called ‘Theta Green’ was being tested away from the primary plantations of this world
Nalys: If we can get some information on Theta Green, perhaps we can tune our scanners for it.
Kyhid Zohl: But the files lacked precise coordinates. Deliberately so, I now suspect.
Ki’ras: “We’d need another crewed ship. Most of Nez’rel crew is comitted to law enforcement duties down here or triage up there. Plus the ongoing evac. Otherwise, we’d send fighters to search.”
Caansomi: “Sounds like a plan. Could the Forde aid in the search, or is she too big?”
Kyhid Zohl: nods. “Yes, our responding fleet is being stretched quite thin indeed. But perhaps… the governor might know more on that front.”
Ki’ras: looks to Caas. “Shikaris is quite oval and aerodynamic in shape. You should be able to perform low atmospheric flight.”
Kyhid Zohl: considers the proposal to use some of the fighters. He wasn’t familiar with the specification, so was unsure if they were being even partially used in evacuation efforts
Kyhid Zohl: I assume the fighters are 1 or 2 person craft? If not engaged in the evacuation effort, perhaps they could help track the professor’s biosigns from closer to the ground across the search grid?
Caansomi: nods and taps her combadge, ordering her ship to aid in the search.
Ki’ras: “As of our Stalkers, they are two-seat units, much like Romulan Scorpions. But some localised sensoring could be done.”
Kyhid Zohl: ’s expression is resolute. “Thank you Captain” (to Caansomi)
Ki’ras: “I think Captain T’Mir will run Nez on automatic in some parts to put some fighter flyers into position.”
Nalys: We could deploy our Scorpions in sync with the Ne’gev’s Stalkers to cover a wider radius.
Kyhid Zohl: Well I assume they’re not ferrying survivors one a time, so could be exactly what we need to narrow the search
Passio: “Unfortunately the Dhae’Rhian’s shuttles, what few we have, are all helping evac. The only other smallcraft we have is Valiant Majesty, and that’s already on the search.”
Kyhid Zohl: exhales and shook his head slightly. “Fighters to find an errant professor… well let it not be said we left any stone unturned”
Ki’ras: “Commander Nalys, can Anarhai serve as flight coordination center? Nez’rel is already coordinating wide-system traffic.”
Ki’ras: “Flight coordination center for fighters that is.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The corridor lights flicker as the public address system crackles to life across what’s left of the settlement. Wall mounted screens flare from static to a live feed of Governor Hillstra. +
Nalys: nods at Ki’ras and smiles. “She can. Have your crew contact the Anarhai, my First Officer will ensure proper coordination between our fighter wings.”
Nalys: Sublieutenant, when your duties here leave you free, can you make sure the cooperation between the Nez’rel and our fighters go smoothly? She peers over at R’Rowu
Kyhid Zohl: | The Governor’s Benzite breathing apparatus hums steadily as she stands before a colony emblem projected behind her. "Citizens of Hespera IX, continue to come to the Colonial Administration +
Kyhid Zohl: | … Complex for evacuation processing. Medical triage and transport are standing by. Do not remain in outlying structures. Follow Starfleet directives."
Ki’ras: “Just send Nez’rel a message, they’ll do the rest in establishing handshake protocols.”
Kyhid Zohl: | “Radiation levels in western sectors are rising. If you can move safely, move now. Starfleet and our allied partners are here to assist you.” The transmission ends.
R’Rowu: nods towards Nalys “I’d be glad to. I can get back to the Anarhai as soon as a the next shuttle has a space for me.”
Kyhid Zohl: watches the broadcast without comment. Another tremor rolls through the building. It wasn’t strong, but that could change again at any moment.
Kyhid Zohl: We should head in.
Ki’ras: lifts his arms a little as he balances against the tremor.
Kyhid Zohl: | The doors open and the group step into a controlled but tense command area. Consoles glow, staff work in urgent ways. Governor Hillstra stands before active displays.
Nalys: wanders inside, eyes almost instinctively darting to the consoles as they enter. She wasn’t even spying. A lifetime of Romulan naval service seems to have trained her to look at information -
Nalys: - displays whenever she could.
Kyhid Zohl: approaches. Many of those present were stained with dust. It was already determined not to be radioactive ash, but the ceiling was entirely collapsed. The falling ash was being held back by a +
Kyhid Zohl: | .. mobile forcefield unit in the centre of the room.
Kyhid Zohl: Governor. A word if you will.
Ki’ras: turns his attention the console setup just left of him, as his ears twitch at Zohl’s speaking to the governor.
Passio: “Alright, what’d’ya need done governor? Anything a young, upstart Tac officer can do around here?” She places a hand on her hip as she smirks.
Nalys: Nalys moves over to the most remote console, one monitoring the status of the planet’s ecosystem. Nalys attempts to gain a wider reading of the planet, and tunes the planetary maps to make areas of -
Caansomi: “And I will aid any way I can as well.”
Governor Hillstra: turns sharply as the group approach. There is tension evident even through the steady rhythm of her breathing apparatus.
Nalys: - intense, unusual biological activity stand out. As she does, the Romulan almost invisibly, briefly inserts a chit into the console and pulls it back out, then finishes tuning
R’Rowu: walks over to an officer in civil clothes, who seems to locate lifesigns in the already evacuated parts of the colony.
Governor Hillstra: Captain… <she looks to the others also> I am coordinating the evacuation of thousands of civilians. This is hardly the moment for inquiries.
Kyhid Zohl: steps closer, lowering his voice a little. “We have reviewed Professor Keating’s research files. Including material not present in your official briefings. We need clarity, Governor.”
Kyhid Zohl: | As Nalys reviews the console, an array of data can be seen. Many deal only with the evacuation in one way or another, but some track the seismic pulses as well as the radiation drift
Kyhid Zohl: | As the readings are atenuated to show areas of unusual biological activity, the limitations of the devices begin to show. What defines unusual when nearly all sensor ability planetside is
Kyhid Zohl: disrupted
Nalys: Seeing the limits of the sensors, Nalys peers over at the rest of the captains “Do we have these systems linked to our ships yet?”
R’Rowu: gives the officer a few hints on how to finetune the search parameters to really search for persons and not every living being like pets and alike
Kyhid Zohl: | The console taking Ki’ras’ attention is one that tracks the colony’s various scientific programmes. Nobody was standing by it at the time Ki’ras approached it.
Ki’ras: | Ki’ras pulls out his tricorder and links the console to Nez’rel, downloading anything available without a need for a hack.
Ki’lana: Right, Captain, while you’re talking, i’m going to look at seismic activity, see if I can’t pinpoint an origin."
Ki’ras: looks to Nalys. “I don’t think we do, Commander Nalys. If we could just punch through the bioelectric inferference…”, he says and sighs heavily, continuing to read through the scientific programs
Caansomi: As the others talk, Caan decides to take a look around, to see if she can find any clues as to where the professor can be found.
Kyhid Zohl: gives a visible nod to the Chief as they pass on their way to the console. Without breaking eye contact with the Governor he continues “And we want to know what you know about Theta Green.” +
Kyhid Zohl: pauses.
Nalys: Nalys sighs. For now, she opts to assist in the evecuation, sending signals to direct evacuating colonists to where the Anarhai’s shuttles were landing and taking off, hopefully speeding it along, -
Nalys: - while prioritizing the wounded
Kyhid Zohl: rolls 4 (1-100)
Nalys: This sensor grid is near useless, but I can at least speed the evacuation with it..
Kyhid Zohl: | Those working at the consoles largely dedicated to coordinating the evac take a moment to nod to Nalys but otherwise continue about their work. There is a lot of communications going on
Kyhid Zohl: | While circling the office, turned control centre, Caan notes something interesting by the Governor’s desk. Unlike much of the equipment in the room, and even across the colony, this wasn’t +
Kyhid Zohl: | .. the Governor’s computer wasn’t standard UFP Civilian or even Starfleet issue.
Caansomi: takes a closer look at the computer, muttering to herself how this would be so much easier if her brother was with her.
R’Rowu: gives the officer a pad on the back as they’re finished the sensor calibration. Afterwards she moves back to the others
Nalys: Having done what she can to speed up the evacuation, Nalys proceeds to another console. As she does, she eyes the personnel carefully when Caansomi seems to notice something,-
Passio: pokes her head next to Caan’s, trying to see what she sees. “Whatcha find?” she whispers.
Nalys: - intending on causing a distraction by deliberately triggering an alarm on a console if it looks like she’s about to be disturbed by security
Ki’lana: rolls 27 (1-100)
Ki’ras: =C= “Shissar to Nez’rel. I hope you began coordinating with Anarhai up there. I am sending what available data I got from a public terminal. Forward it to Weytahn.”
Caansomi: “This computer doesn’t look right. It isn’t Starfleet issue, that’s for sure.” Caan continues to study the computer.
Ki’ras: rolls 90 (1-100)
Passio: “Huh. Weird…”
Governor Hillstra: | Another tremor, this time a little worse, causes dust to fill the room. It doesn’t seem to impact the Governor with her respirator. Several staff pretend not to listen as she replies +
Governor Hillstra: I have little knowledge of Theta Green Captain. It is classified agricultural research I think. You might check yourself over there <pointing to the console Ki’ras stood by>.
Governor Hillstra: It’s really the Professor’s domain. And as for Starfleet. Well, aren’t you Starfleet?
Nalys: Nalys moves over to Caansomi, pressing a little data chit into her side and murmuring to her “Jab this into the computer for one second and bring it back to me. That will help.”
Caansomi: nods subtly and puts the chit into the computer for a second, then returns to Nalys.
Passio: “Probably a good idea…a lot more subtle than me plugging into it myself…”
Governor Hillstra: seems to break off the conversation with Zohl abruptly as her attention is drawn elsewhere, though it seems as if she’s just being evasive.
Ki’lana: flicks an ear.
Kyhid Zohl: | The screen of the Governor’s computer flickers to life. Encryption cascades across the display, then stalls. Initial authentication protocols begin to unravel, revealing a secondary +
Kyhid Zohl: | … Login layer beneath the civilian ‘administration’ facade. The interface is very plain. Almost just a command line. But there is one active file open.
Caansomi: whispers to Nalys, “Computers were always my brother’s thing, not mine. But he’s not here, so thank you for the help.”
Nalys: nods and offers Caansomi a warm smile. She leans to the side, pretending to chat on the evaciation as her eyes slither back to check the file, and pull out her chit.
Kyhid Zohl: does not move as the Governor shifts her attention back toward the command consoles. However his face has hardened. "Governor… Theta Green was not a routine agricultural strain. It is engineered+
Ki’ras: finishes downloading the accessable database and turns his attention back to Hillstra and Zohl as they continue their conversation.
Kyhid Zohl: continues, "It is engineering for aggressive growth and bioelectric conductivity. Don’t you find that at all coincidental given the massive bioelectrical seismic activity ripping this colony apart?
Passio: turns her attention to the Governor. “And is there a reason you’re so eager to dodge those questions?”
Kyhid Zohl: rolls 71 (1-100)
Caansomi: “No…not at all.”
Nalys: You’re most welcome. We’re here to help each other in our weaknesses..And as it happens, I bring tools to help with things I am not good at.
Nalys: You seem to have a keen eye, though.
Caansomi: “Thank you.”
Governor Hillstra: ’s composure fractures. Her eyes snap from Zohl to Passio…. then past them… to her desk terminal where she sees the other two. +
R’Rowu: walks back to the console with the young officer, assuming the main group is mig enough to deal with the gouvernor and her computer
Governor Hillstra: lunges toward the console, one hand reaching to turn the display as Nalys clicks on the open file. “What do you think you are doing? ”
Passio: moves to intercept her. “Something you don’t want us to see?”
Governor Hillstra: | Colony security officers in the room working consoles shift suddenly at the governor’s tone. They look, unsure whether to intervene.

continued below in Part 3 (B)

nynik

Session Transcript - Part 3 (B)

Ki’ras: “With all due respect, Governor, we are saving your sorry political ass.”, Ki’ras speaks and his fur puffs up, as his ears flick annoyingly. ++
Caansomi: “We’re trying to help here, and we can’t do that if we don’t know what’s going on!”
R’Rowu: tires to keep the officer focussed on the evacuation process despite the gouvernours sharp voice in the background
Ki’ras: ++ “There are over 800 Caitians deployed to assist and herd the evacuation, about 300 Romulans and dozen other species who responded to the distress call. I had quite enough of delays as it is.”++
Ki’lana: flicks her ears at the sound of the security officers moving, just as she was about to be thankful she carried a phaser this time, something on the console caught her attention.
Ki’lana: “Uh, Captains? Commanders, Governor?”
Ki’ras: “Captain Zohl here has the authority to invoke General Order 24 if the threat can’t be contained. And about dozen ships in orbit will glass us before you can say ‘fart long and prosper’.”
Nalys: steps back, tvisibly taken aback by the Governor’'s insistance! She’s opening her mouth to talk, but with so many people arguing, she moves to R’Row instead, peering over the console. Taking out a-
Kyhid Zohl: ’s head turns toward the computer, he takes the command-line interface. “Why does a colonial governor require a secondary encrypted system?”
Nalys: - pad, once everyone is sufficiently distracted, Nalys also inserts the chit.
Nalys: So. Here’s where I should probably elaborate on that chit
Nalys: reads from their PADD.
Ki’lana: “Can you quit shouting at one another? Radiation’s starting to drift towards this complex.”
Ki’ras: gasps as he takes deep breathe, trying to calm himself down.
R’Rowu: speaks with the young officer next to her in a friendly, reassuring voice “See, we’re getting better. Just a few more…and I’m sure most will even leave voluntarily.”
Governor Hillstra: That system is a contingency archive. And Starfleet has no right to access my personal files, even through we’ve declared martial law.
Governor Hillstra: straightens, drawing herself up despite the tension in the room, she was still gripping the corner of her turned computer terminal with one hand.
Kyhid Zohl: We want answers Governor. This is a crisis situation!
Caansomi: “Precisely! We can’t help you if we don’t know what is going on!”
Passio: “If it’s just a backup then it doesn’t matter that we’re looking, now does it? It should just be files that are on these other systems. Right.” She gives the governor a glare.
Nalys: sighs in frustration as her pad doesnt seem to have recovered anything of use from the multi-layered system. “Blasted..Foiled by another Republic commander, even.” She mutters, visibly frustrated -
Nalys: - at Passio’s lack of subtlety, but the situation had moved on..
R’Rowu: pints at a cluster of around 10 lifesigns in an otherwise rather empty sector This looks suspicious though. Either they don’t want to go out or they’re stuck. I’d suggest to have a shuttle land >
Governor Hillstra: ’s eyes flick briefly toward the active file Nalys had clicked before the terminal was turned. It was a media file, that was opened but fortunately didn’t autoplay. It bore the emblem of Starfleet
Governor Hillstra: .. command
R’Rowu: | there soon and look into the matter.
Governor Hillstra: I will not have officers rummaging through restricted systems while my people are evacuating under fire. Your attention is misplaced.
Ki’lana: decides to monitoring the radiation drift coming towards the complex while the others are busy arguing with one another. That’s her problem.
Ki’lana: “How… Bad..”
Kyhid Zohl: | Alert klaxons begin to sound as the radiation levels steadily increase.
Ki’ras: shakes his head after hissing at the Governor and approaches Ki’lana.
Ki’ras: “How ba…”, he was about to ask. “That bad.”
Ki’lana: “Tried to warn ya, anyone listen?”
Kyhid Zohl: | Despite the conversations going on the techs by the console nearest to R’Rowu follow the advice and begin to direct efforts to those biosigns before the sensors degrade once again.
Kyhid Zohl: | Perhaps saving whoever might have been cut off or trapped in the confusion.
Ki’lana: “Really hope the radiation shielding holds up.”
Caansomi: “Starr to Forde, how goes the rescue efforts?”
Kyhid Zohl: | The chief’s words and the klaxons now sounding help snap him from the ongoing discussion. “Chief, what’s going on… is the radiation spiking?”
Ki’lana: “For the love of.. I tried telling everyone yes!”
Ki’ras: “Chief, is there any kind of pulse or something to negate or suck or anything with that radiation cloud? Forde is in orbit, their deflector could be strong enough to do SOMETHING.”
R’Rowu: clicks her tongue at the sound of the Klaxons, mumbling “It’s difficult enough to keep those officers conentrated even without an alarm going off…”
Ki’lana: “Sure, you got an extra hour handy? That’s why shields exist.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Those with mobile radiation metres on their EVA suits or attire notice the levels spiking now too.
Governor Hillstra: Damn it.
Governor Hillstra: goes to her computer and begins to type into the terminal.
Ki’lana: had one meters mounted on her leg.
Ki’ras: “I don’t think that rotation between Nez’rel, Weytahn, Anarhai and (what’s Liiar’s borg ship name) can power the planetary shields fast enough.”
Ki’ras: (Adamant)
Passio: “While they deal with that…” Her arm is surrounded by the sounds of replication. When it ends, she’s sporting a borg prosthetic. “Would you like to answer our questions honestly?+”
Passio: “+Or am I going to have to use this?” The prosthetic sprouts a pair of blades as she finishes.
Ki’lana: “Nah it’ll work, how long is another question.”
Ki’lana: “Give me some space.”
Ki’ras: turns to Caansomi, talking across the room. “Captain Caansomi, you think the Bussard collectors on Forde could suck in some of that radiation?”
Governor Hillstra: | Radiation contour map update in near real time. A dense plume, darker than previous projections, advances toward the complex. They will need to evac if nothing can be done.
Kyhid Zohl: taps his combage
Caansomi: “Worth a try! Starr to Forde, we need you to try to suck in some of that radiation!”
R’Rowu: looks over her shoulder now, just to see the Romulan (?) having a borg arm all of a sudden
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= All teams. Radiation cloud inbound to the Complex. Divert evac routes. Fallback to orbit if you have to. Prioritse wounded. =C
Nalys: raises a hand to R’Row in a gentle signal to stay out of the drama, at least for now. Indeed, if anything, she’s glancing at the computer console. Just how unguarded is it now?
Ki’ras: ponders the situation. “We could also attempt to tamper with upper ionosphere, attract some of the denser particle dust upwards, have them collected by capital ships.”
Kyhid Zohl: Governor. Now is not the time for deflection. If there is something in motion we do not understand, we must know. <Zohl is interrupted by Passio’s sudden and aggressive gesture. So too is the +
Ki’ras: | Once Ki’ras advises Nez’rel crew of his plan, the Caitian Aspero, stretched already as it is, modifies their frontal deflector and fires an ionised particle burst in attempt to polarise the++
Kyhid Zohl: | .. governor, who leaps sharply back from the computer to not risk the blades making contact.
R’Rowu: nods to Nal, understanding her without any words. She keeps close to the staff which actually works towards the evac, speaking "Whatever might happen behind us, we have a job to do. We are >
Caansomi: The Forde makes its way into position and starts to collect the radiation.
R’Rowu: rescuing as many people as possible, understood? That’s our duty as Starfleet personal."
Ki’ras: ionosphere and attract a part of the radiation cloud. The giant of Caitian engineering leans forward and shoots a colllimated blue hazed beam out of its deflector. |
Governor Hillstra: ’s lets out a shriek as she moves. “aah. Stop. It was never meant to escalate like this.” She glances at the command-line screen, then back to them. "Theta Green was designed to harmonise with +
R’Rowu: mumbles as the window in front of her is tinted by blue light from the Caitian ship “Same goes for anything that happens before us, of course..”
Governor Hillstra: continues, “..the planet’s bioelectric substrate. To increase yield by stabilising soil resonance. It should not be amplifying anything. The experiment was under control. ” ++
Governor Hillstra: It was always under control. Keating… keating promised me.
Passio: “Seems Keating lied his ass off.” The blades retract, and her augmentation disappears.
Nalys: moves forward as the governor backs away. Her hands reach out to twist the computer to face her - Indeed, if she can get away with it, she’'d even seek to remove it, but she’s certainly trying to-
Nalys: - read it!
Passio: “Also. HOW. WAS THAT. NOT IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW?!”
Caansomi: Meanwhile, the Forde is still collecting some of the radiation, awaiting the next part of the plan.
Ki’lana: tilts her ears down at the shouting.
Nalys: Captains, there might be a way to control the seismic disturbances! The Governor seems to -think- she had commands..Though I get the feeling she’s been duped.
Kyhid Zohl: | The local security forces don’t intervene. They instead return to trying to evac as many people as possible, given the diversion in place now.
Governor Hillstra: seems to be trying to catch her breath. Her radiation idnicator is entirely red. And she collapses to the ground.
Governor Hillstra: zzzZZZzzz…
Governor Hillstra: falls asleep.
Governor Hillstra: zzzZZZzzz…
Governor Hillstra: slumbers peacefully.
Passio: “Oh. Oh shit.”
Ki’lana: “I’ve got a lot of meds in me so i’ll be fine a little linger.. The rest of you though..”
Kyhid Zohl: rolls 22 (1-100)
Passio: Quickly presses her communicator. “Tick, this is Passio, I need a replicator pattern for my nanites, NOW! An upgrade for radiation scrubbers, and a good one!”
Kyhid Zohl: ’s indicator flares red, but he’s already out by the time he too hits the floor.
Kyhid Zohl: zzzZZZzzz…
Kyhid Zohl: slumbers peacefully.
Caansomi: Seeing the others collapsing, Caan knows she has to do something to save them. “Should we carry them to the shuttles?”
Ki’ras: | Ki’ras armor beeps as the radiation impinges on him as well, but he focuses on the situation at hand. He looks at his pistol. |
Passio: falls to one knee, nearly collapsing before standing back to her feet.
Ki’ras: “Chief, would my tetryon pistol be able to nullify some of the radiation within this room?”
Ki’ras: “If we modify it accordingly?”
R’Rowu: twitches an ear, shouting over “Please don’t shoot in here. Those consoles seem very prone to explosions..”
Nalys: Nalys, surprised to find the radiation not helping her much, finds herself starting to grow dazed and dizzy as well. She makes a final attempt to fold up the computer and conceal it under her cloak-
Nalys: - before she passes out
R’Rowu: würfelt 38 (1-100)
Ki’ras: “Shivering whiskers…”, he curses and taps his combadge. “Shissar to any Marine Medic nearby. Rad emergency in Governor’s Office.”
R’Rowu: is suddenly staggered and going to the gorund. She does manage to not hit her head at the console though
R’Rowu: zzzZZZzzz…
R’Rowu: schläft ein.
R’Rowu: zzzZZZzzz…
R’Rowu: döst friedlich vor sich hin.
Kyhid Zohl: | Several of the civilian personnel also fall to the ground. Nobody directly answers Caan’s question in the moment.
Ki’ras: “Passio… your nanoprobes… can you modify them to reduce internal organs damage to the ones here?”
Ki’lana: starts coughing.. And coughing, and coughing, eventually, coughing out blood, she braces herself against the console, and slides down, still awake, though breathing heavily.
Passio: “Erm…so. According to my chief medical officer, not without assimilating them. Which. They might have feelings about.”
Ki’ras: “I have no seniority, but… I’d say do it.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The comm signal is extremely fragmented due to the radiation cloud’s proximity and density. But Ki’ras’ message is acknowledged. However, the response is unintelligble.
R’Rowu: whilst certainly not feeling well, she isn’t entirely out cold. She manages to lay on the side to aid her breathing
Ki’lana: reaches into one of her pouches, digging for a second for a hypospray, she turns her head, giving herself an injection in the neck. Slowly, her breathing steadies.
Passio: “I would, but I have no idea if’ll keep their- our - free will or put me us into a new Collective. There’s a lot of risk, which I haven’t taken yet. I’m not sure I can start now…”
Kyhid Zohl: | The mobile shield generator keeping the outside over their heads at bay begins to sound an alarm. It’s being over-taxed and will fail in 2 minutes.
Caansomi: takes some hypospray from her own bag and starts to try to treat the others’ radiation sickness.
Ki’ras: | As on Wolt/Glovo timely order, two Caitian Marine Medics bust in and quickly scan the situation in the room. They nod to Ki’ras and begin treating anyone down, starting with R’Rowu as being the++
Passio: “I’ve asked my engineering officer for some upgrades for the shield-generator, though. I can modify tech without risk. That we’ve found out.”
Ki’ras: nearest to the entrance, then proceeding with others. |
Ki’ras: “Work on shield generator then.”, offers his tetryon pistol. “Use this on low setting to assist in dispersal of the cloud.”
Ki’ras: walks over to Nalys, looking how to get her into EVA.
Ki’ras: | Two Marine Medics scan and hypospray fellow Caitian R’Rowu with dilligence. One of medics proceeds to Caan, somewhat surprised by so many Caitians here |
Ki’lana: coughs, wiping at her mouth and smearing her fur somewhat.
Ki’ras: | “Hang on, Chief.” one of medics says. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”
Ki’lana: “Yeaah…. No rush..”
Governor Hillstra: zzzZZZzzz…
Governor Hillstra: slumbers peacefully.
Ki’lana: says weakly, coughing up blood again.
R’Rowu: slowly gets better as the treatment bears fruit. She brings herself in a more dignified sitting position for now
R’Rowu: setzt sich.
Nalys: Nalys’s EVA looks..Strange. To say the least. It was a -very- alien suit, not reminiscent of any Federation tech. But it was a simple enough suit, and it could be opened up and the Romulan helped -
Nalys: - into it with ease, though her current radiation sickness will need to be treated before it can protect her from any more of it*
Ki’ras: | Medic with R’Rowu proceeds to Nalys, while one with Caan shifts to Ki’lana. |
Nalys: Nalys eventually starts to come to as she’s treated for radiation pooisinong, visibly dazed as she struggles to return to the waking world
Nalys: Uff..
Caansomi: is still trying to help the people that are down.
Ki’lana: “..Beats the neutron radiation a bit ago..”
Governor Hillstra: has received the emergency treatment but has not roused from sleep. She is alive, but unconscious.
Passio: Passio seems to recieve a communication. She stares at her wrist comm for a moment, before moving to the generator and placing a hand on it. Suddenly, techno-tendrils reach out from her wrist and+"
Ki’ras: | With Nalys coming to her senses, Ki’ras walks over to Hilstra and kneels next to her, scanning her then forwarding to both medics. |
R’Rowu: takes a few deep breaths before trying to get on her feet again. She hopes the Hypo’s give her enough of a push for now
Kyhid Zohl: begins to murmur as Caan shakes him. He’s received the treatment and may be coming around now. His skin shows a slight burn effect in places.
R’Rowu: würfelt 61 (1-100)
Passio: "stab into the generator. Slowly, the device becomes…borged, for lack of a better term. She starts cursing and mumbling to herself.
Passio: “So I build that here…no, fuck, there. Elements, why didn’t I pay attention in engineering?!”
Ki’lana: “..Amateur…”
Ki’lana: snorts under her breath, then coughs up blood.
Kyhid Zohl: uh, what happened
Ki’ras: | Once stabilisng Ki’lana, the other medic checks Passio, while the first medic works on the governonr with Kiras’ assistance. |
Passio: "
Caansomi: “Radiation sickness. You almost died there.”
Kyhid Zohl: realses almost as soon as he asks, because he can’t move his body. An effect of radiation poisoning as a child and suboptimal treatment. He needs to be careful around it, and he is immobilized for
Kyhid Zohl: now
Kyhid Zohl: So that’s what that familiar taste in my mouth is.
R’Rowu: moves over to Nal in her EV, whispering “Are you alright, sir?”
Nalys: shakes her head. Seeing just how severe the situation is, the Romulan finishes prepearing her EVA suit. She slips into it, and turns it on after the caitians treat her for radiation sicknes, but -
Ki’ras: looks to Caan. “Captain Caansomi, if you can reach Forde and Nez’rel, tell them to send Priority Alpha Cat message across the entire CDF frequency spectrum. We are losing ground here. Literally.”
Nalys: - her movements are st ill wobbly.
Kyhid Zohl: I.. I won’t be able to move for a while. I’m.. okay.
Kyhid Zohl: What’s the situation
Passio: “Hey, Ki’lana, you want the amateur doing or to submit your free will to her and be permanently controlled by her will forever? That’s what I thought.”
Caansomi: quickly taps her combadge. “Starr to Forde! Send a Priority Alpha Cat message! Now!”
Ki’lana: “Don’t you dare touch me.”
Nalys: almost falls against the console, struggling to breathe through her suit. She looks around, and promptly tries to grab the computer of the Governor that she’d seized.
Nalys: ..Contact our shuttle. We need an emergency evacuation of..Everyone in this room who doesnt have a shuttle of their own.
Nalys: We also -need- to look at this computer more closely..
R’Rowu: I will try, sir…radiation does make communication difficult though
Nalys: Radiation makes staying here lethal..Even for you.
Kyhid Zohl: | In high orbit, the fleet adjusts its formation. The Nez’s deflector remains polarised, ionising the upper layers, while others, like the Forde, Adamant, Anarhai etc all perform ++
R’Rowu: clenches her teeth “Thanks for the reminder.”
Kyhid Zohl: | … collection duty. One by one, bussard collectors spring to life. And intake currents can be seen eating away at the plume covering the main settlement. Charged particulate matter is +
Ki’lana: “Ugh.. Not the worst episode I’ve been through..”
Ki’lana: gags.
Kyhid Zohl: | … being drawn upwards in great luminous streams. Those streams flow like great rivers and lightning can be seen arcing in them…. toward the collecting ships.
Nalys: Well, I don’t want you hurt! Obviously I want you aboard a shuttle sooner rather then later..
Passio: “Please, this doesn’t even crack my top ten. Then again, getting assimilated is my entire top five…”
Nalys: ..Every moment we stay here is a problem..
R’Rowu: tries to get an SOS through the radiation and to the Anarhai
Caansomi: “Forde! Can you read me, Forde?”
Kyhid Zohl: receives a fragmented message from the Tykera, which at this time was on the other side of the planet from where the fleet and colony was. He can’t make it out, but it sounded like a warning.
Ki’lana: “You are NOT getting borg nanoprobes in me.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Radiation density above the colony begins to thin as the ships absorb and vent what they can into storage tanks. But their sensor readings spike. +
Kyhid Zohl: | It’s not the lightning in the streams, but rather a giant bolt leaps outward from the planet’s surface, near the far regions if one was looking. +
R’Rowu: leans her behind against a console to get some rest whilst still looking reasonably dignified. She tries to change the frequency of the call slightly to get it thorugh better
Kyhid Zohl: | It is a massive bioelectrical arc lashes up and splits to hit each ship. Every vessel actively scooping is struck. Systems go completely offline, and many begin to enter the atmosphere.
Passio: “I apparently haven’t been clear enough about my feelings on that, Ki’lana, so let me be. I will never put another living being through that hell so long as I live.”

nynik

Session Transcript - Part 4 (A)

Kyhid Zohl: | Hours pass on Hespera IX since the radiation cloud and the catastrophe in orbit. An hour earlier, five small vessels entered the Hesperia system. Only one of them had any kind of transponder+
Kyhid Zohl: | + signal, identifying itself as Macadarnan Civilian Ship “Dragon”, under the command of Ferasan captain Nall Se’mohkan. The other four vessels were Ferasan privateers assembled within +
Kyhid Zohl: | + Ferasan Dominion. Captain Nall had explained that Macadarna received an Alpha Feline distress signal from Nez’rel before the capital ship lost all power. Two Caitian Shikaris vessels +
Kyhid Zohl: | + which are a standard escort to Nez’rel, remained behind because their long range sensors detected Chimeran energy signature.
Kyhid Zohl: | Emergency generators hum across the main settlement. In orbit, damaged ships hold position, stabilised by their own crews and the timely intervention of Ferasan vessels and allied ships. +
Kyhid Zohl: seems to have returned to his feet, and stands near the central holotable in the Governor’s office. He reviews Keating’s files; agricultural research, harmonic modelling +
Kyhid Zohl: | .. and classified Starfleet Command oversight tags.
Ki’lana: seems to have grabbed a drink, she tries to maintain a calm poise, though it’s clear by the shaking whenever she takes a sip that she’s unnerved.
Nalys: brushes off her uniform. She’'s still rather pale, fresh from medical treatment for radiation poisoning, but the Romulan does her best not to let any weakness show.
Kyhid Zohl: shakes his head, it was still slightly light from when he’d been unconscious
R’Rowu: has been treated as well by some medics. She appears calm and professional enough
Kyhid Zohl: | The Governor’s office was still manned by a mix of personnel, but increasingly only allied officers. Efforts continued to evacuate civilians at pace, as the earthquakes continued to cause
Passio: stands in the back of the room, intently listening for any news from the uncovered files while fidgeting with a toy she’s hastily constructed.
Kyhid Zohl: |.. major issues.
Ki’lana: “That was a bad case of rad poisoning, but that’s only the 9th thing on my mind right now.”
Ki’lana: takes a sip, trying to steady her hand.
Kyhid Zohl: sighs, “Command Nalys, are you well enough to discuss what you and your crew may have learned further about what was on the Governor’s computer?”
Nalys: lifts her brows. She smiles as Kyhid seems sto remember she had recovered the computer.
Nalys: Of course. I’'d be delighted.
R’Rowu: follows Nalys towards the main group. She looks curious about what her Commander may have uncovered herself
Passio: stops fidgeting to listen, deconstructing the small object she’d been toying with and turning her gaze to Nalys.
Kyhid Zohl: Nearest I can gleam from this data, Governor Hillstra enabled this … programme. She signed the clearances and was behind finding the resources for colonising Hespera IX. But the science… +
Kyhid Zohl: that seems to have been mostly Prof Keating’s domain.
Nalys: Indeed. From what our crew could recover, new data was recieved that suggests a link between the crop strains and nucleotide sequences. The sequences match radiation exposure from-…The hobus inciden
Nalys: Our scientists are still trying to decipher what THAT means.
Passio: “Don’t tell me this world might be about to become another galaxy buster?”
Kyhid Zohl: looks up from the data he’s reading. “Hobus? Let me guess.. that’s what came via Admiral T’nae’s data packet to the allied fleet? So does she suspect this, or does she know”
Nalys: She seems quite confident about it. The Romulan nods, seemingly having some doubts herself "I dont want to read too much into the meaning. But it has some interesting implications for the world -
Nalys: - itself.
Kyhid Zohl: I trust T’nae <he looks at Nalys and Passio> and although she’s not exactly a friend of Romulans… she wouldn’t have introduced an unknown element if she wasn’t at least confident in it.
Nalys: The more immidiate question is how we can use that to aid the evacuation or the crisis happening here.
Nalys: If we want the actual SCIENCE, we need a certain head scientist..
Kyhid Zohl: Agreed. We’re building a lot of theory, and this command-console the Governor had only raises more questions about what the science was trying to acomplish. She seemed adamant about being able to +
Kyhid Zohl: Control the techtonic pulses; though it seems to have very much gone awry
Passio: “And the only man who might know why is Keating…”
Nalys: Hrmpf - More Starfleet expertiments they shouldnt be doing.
Nalys: And in their pursuit of power, they destroy a planet.
Kyhid Zohl: Commander Passio, I believe the Dhae’Rhian has executed a tight search grid in the far flung regions of this world, perhaps you have insight into where the Professor might be found, if indeed hes aliv
Kyhid Zohl: sighs but he doesn’t try to correct Nalys on her assertion. Starfleet Command’s fingerprints seemed to be everywhere here. What was this about, testing crop strains seemed entirely out the window .
Ki’lana: looks at Nalys for a moment, she bites her tongue, then sighs, looking back at Kyhid.
Kyhid Zohl: pondered at why T’nae had contacted the fleet via secondary protocols, it seemed to him that Starfleet Command was stonewalling them at every turn. They still hadn’t received an answer about their
Kyhid Zohl: | .. associations with the good professor.
Passio: “We’ve got search teams in the area, but as stated before it was hundreds of kilos. There were hundreds, plural, of research posts for all of them to check.”
Kyhid Zohl: leans over the holographic display, his eyes narrowing as the map comes up showing the area
Nalys: The Anarhai’s fighters are also coordinating with the Caitians to try and locate pockets of activity in more remote regions.
Kyhid Zohl: Chief, do you think you could help isolate which outposts and greenhouses might have the capability for the broadcast the professor previously did? maybe that will help us narrow the field
Ki’lana: “Probably, I would have looked more into the bioelectric field though, see where it seems to be spiking the most if our Professor is poking the damn thing.”
Kyhid Zohl: Yes, good Commander. We must not lose sight of the evacuation effort. The topography of this world itself is in upheaval.
Kyhid Zohl: smiles at the Caitian’s hunch, "Yes, that’s a good idea Chief. If the professor ever really could control the pulses, then perhaps wherever the governor’s console was sending commands, would show +
Kyhid Zohl: .. some elevated activity that could be found.
Kyhid Zohl: Governor Hillstra was an administrator, and she will pay for her crimes, but I’m satisfied she truly doesn’t know the Prof’s exact location, likely because he didn’t want her to.
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.
Ki’lana: “Seems more like being irresponsible on her end than actual malice from where i’m standing sir. Though that’s another problem.”
Nalys: Well…If he has any kind of control, surely there would be specific kinds of signals emitted from his location.
Nalys: And if he dampens them, the -absence- of signals can also be a giveaway..
Kyhid Zohl: Either way, she will have to stand over her part in all of this. <Zohl turns to an ensign who hands him a PADD of the latest evacuation progress>
Ki’lana: “He might have tried Commander, though if I had to wager? The fact it seems the whole field’s going nuts seems to indicate they failed or he didn’t.”
Nalys: Even so, it might be the best chance we hvae to find the man. Between our different technological bases of the ships in orbit, we should be able to scan for a broad range of signals.
Kyhid Zohl: | A further tremor hits the complex and parts of the walls collapse inward, deflected by emergency shield generators. "Well, we need to pin him down, follow your hunch, and perhaps with the +
Kyhid Zohl: data the Dhae’Rhian has collected, something can come to light. Meanwhile Commander Nalys, and.. R’Rowu is it? Perhaps you could help me decrypt this final file from the Governor’s computer. It’s
Kyhid Zohl: .. the command instruction programme she was trying to access earlier. Perhaps it can shine some light into a possible means to disappate the seismic activity
Nalys: Ah, yes..R’Row, can you see what you can do?
R’Rowu: nods softly “I will, Commander. Never thought I’d hack into a Gouvernours computer though:”
Passio: “Then we have our missions. I’ll head the team to nab the professor. Anyone who wants to come is free to.”
Nalys: Well, here’s your chance. Have fun with it, I’d say!
Kyhid Zohl: It seems her computr was assigned by Starfleet Command, as it had its hidden interface beneath it. I’d caution care, but then I know you likely are familiar with decrypting likely guarded data.
Ki’lana: “Pfst, you should see some of the traps left in Deep Space Nine, either by Bajorans OR Cardassians.”
Kyhid Zohl: looks up at Passio, “Oh, we’ll all go and grab him Commander Passio, if you can use the Dhae’Rhian to relay us when you and the Chief narrow down the likely location”
R’Rowu: frowns slightly “Because I temporarily serve on a Romulan vessel? How cliche.” she smiles afterwards though and would try to get her paws on the computer
Kyhid Zohl: grins, “Exactly”
Nalys: smiles with satisfaction and folds her arms across her chest. “I gues we’l get to find out if she’s been paying attention.”
Kyhid Zohl: Any time aboard a romulan ship is an education
R’Rowu: jokes “No pressure, okay? It’s not like the planet’s gonna collaps if I fail.”
Kyhid Zohl: coughs, the air was still filled with dust. “No, plenty of time”
Ki’lana: “Oh it’ll collapse either way. Isn’t that comforting?”
Passio: “Alright, someone pull up a map. I can have the Dhae’Rhian send over the current search area for everyone to see.”
Ki’lana: “Well, i’m going to just go do that.”
Ki’ras: | Meanwhile the two Caitian Marine Corps field medics continue to monitor everyone present on the premises. |
Ki’ras: “I guess none of you have some fellow Horta crew member who would help with literal undigging of secrets about this place?”
Kyhid Zohl: coughs again before catching Ki’ras’ attention as they enter. "Ki’ras, I’m glad you’re back. I’ve received an update that the evacuation is back into full swing, given the Nez’ current status.
Ki’lana: “Captain how many ships have we got in orbit now?”
R’Rowu: moves towards the Gouvernours computer, looking at it for a few moments, thinking baout how to start exactly.
Kyhid Zohl: A Horta, well there’s usually one about but they can be quite solitary. I have heard of one assigned to some Federation geo-archaelogical digsites, but that is in the beta quadrant
Ki’ras: nods to Zohl. “Nice news, Captain. Marine troop on ground have reestablished the comms with Nez too, so yes… I am relieved.”
R’Rowu: thinks out loudly by mumbling around "Assuming this is the comp of the gov, it was in use fairly often. The files might be encoded but at least it won’t self delete if a wrong password is >
R’Rowu: entered…hopefully.
Kyhid Zohl: I figured nothing would keep the Caitian spirit down, though I must say the timely arrival of your Ferasan cousins sure helped the Tykera out of a bind. <Zohl inclines his head toward Nalys also>
Ki’ras: “Ferasans… oh shiver it… Were the ships able to determined what the in the shivering whiskers hit them?”
R’Rowu: keeps muttering “She didn’t quite strike me as the most capable person, honestly…there might even be a physical hint around the console…” she’d look behind the terminal first, hoping for a
R’Rowu: written pass key
R’Rowu: würfelt 40 (1-100)
Ki’lana: “So with Dhae’rhian helping us out we can cast a wider net, if that makes sense… Eh, probably doesn’t.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The Caitian lifted the console to find a series of archaic storage forms… ‘post-its’ as they were known in 21st century earth-parlance, though the practie of note storing was older
Kyhid Zohl: coughs but it is a light one, he should really take one of the nearby rebreathers in this poor environmental condition but he often hated wearing them
Passio: “We could. We can narrow the area, too. I’m marking the areas our search teams have checked through. Hopefully that can narrow our search area a bit further…”
Kyhid Zohl: No Ki’ras, at least, not yet… I believe Captain Shallas is investigating that specifically, and has only to date been able to conclude that was likely due to the highly charged atmospheric cond
Kyhid Zohl: conditions at play
R’Rowu: looks at the notes left and sighs softly “Just a key would have been too easy, I suppose…but worth a try.” she looks over to Nal almost apologetic before focussing on the task at hand again
Ki’ras: =C= “T’Mir to Zohl. Captain, Nez’rel has been stabilised in lower orbit. We will deploy planetary probes to establish more secure network. Stalker fighters are still flying across the planet.”
Ki’lana: “..Meanwhile.. I shall… Just..”
Kyhid Zohl: | The addition of the searched areas greatly helps, and before their eyes Ki’lana and Passio see a new picture emerge. Several greenhouse outposts in the highest altitude areas of the far regio
Kyhid Zohl: | regions, now stand out above the rest.
Ki’ras: =C= “They require a more… specific coordinates, if you will.”
Nalys: That’s all right..Try it. If it doesn’t work, try some of our cyphers from the anarhai. You should have picked up a few.
Ki’lana: “Well that narrows that down… I’m going to put my theory about the bio-electric field to the test here..”
Kyhid Zohl: Storing information at all on … paper… seems outdated, but yes, perhaps there is some method to her madness
R’Rowu: to Nal “I just don’t want to brute force my way in, so to speak. It would be catastrophic if it did self delete after a few failures…”
Kyhid Zohl: starts to look through a few of the post-its discovered by R’Rowu, trying to discern some meanng in them. They were mostly lists of things, equipment requests, status updates, but a few were just
Kyhid Zohl: |.. random digits
Kyhid Zohl: passes these ones to the caitian, “Any association you can determine with these?”
Nalys: Of course. See what you can do.
Ki’ras: ((To which Caitian??))
Kyhid Zohl: ((in this case R’Rowu))
Ki’lana: rolls 72 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: | The initial attempt by the Chief is promising, and the sensor data from both the Dhae and the colony net, what’s left of it, is sucessfully meshed, but it will need to be overlain on the topo
Kyhid Zohl: | .. topographic display
R’Rowu: Classic ciphers would include just shifting letters by a fixed value or in geomatrical shapes if written out…unfortuantely I have no clue how the benzite language works…but assuming she wrote in >
R’Rowu: federation standard, I could further assume the most used letters would equal E, A and R…do they have some sort of connection here, I wonder?
R’Rowu: würfelt 25 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: considers R’Rowu’s words
Kyhid Zohl: rolls 35 (1-100)
Nalys: Perhaps some decrytption software could be of use here?
Kyhid Zohl: ’s mind thinks to letter-associations.. and he recalls seeing the earlier list of scientific programmes for different strains of grain being planted across the colony. They were all labelled with L
R’Rowu: nods to Nalys “Perhaps…counting the letters would take forever after all.”
Kyhid Zohl: |.. letters like these… well, many things were, but he’d say it, “What about the various crop programmes, they use similar lettering to denote strains”
Ki’ras: |Continues to coordinate Caitian Marines across the main settlement as Nez’rel has taken over the coordination in isolated areas.|
Nalys: nods to her datapad, placing it on the desk. “See if you can connect to intelligence aboard the anarhai if you begin to struggle.”
Ki’lana: brings up a diagram of the planet, then reduces it to a flat overlay, lining it up with the results of the sensor scan.
Kyhid Zohl: | Local resistance to evacuation has fallen away, given the increase in seismic fracturing, now evident across the landscape. If anything, researches and civilians flock to collection points.
Ki’lana: “Let’s see…”
Passio: rolls 64 (1-100)
Ki’lana: rolls 66 (1-100)
R’Rowu: nods towards Kyhid Zohl “Thank you for the Input, I’ll try that.” she’d take the Padd from Nal making some inputs while mumbling "I’d rather not contact them if I can get through it alone…but >
R’Rowu: I’ll keep the option open if I fail"
Ki’ras: “You mean to say, Captain Zohl, that geometric sequences refer to protein or peptide sequences in the crops?”
Ki’lana: “You following this? Head moves three kilos per minute sometimes.”
Kyhid Zohl: That’s a determined officer you have there Commander Nalys
Nalys: smiles faintly, nodding at Kyhid. “I take pride in every member of my crew, very much including this one.”
Ki’lana: “Here, see that?”
Kyhid Zohl: takes a few breaths from a nearby rebreather
R’Rowu: connects the Padd with the already accessable files of the computer, gaining a schematic of the gouvernours writing style. By comparing the grain programmes letters to those on the post-its >
Passio: “Yep. I do. A cloud of radiation that’d make anything in there more cancer cells than orginal ones.”
Ki’lana: “What? Nah, I mean the bio-electric pulses here, they deviate significantly.”
R’Rowu: realises “One of the letters of the research stuff isn’t used for some reason. It might just be some form of superstition, but assuming it isn’t, that could be out starting point! Entering…”
R’Rowu: würfelt 90 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: walks over to Passio and the Chief, who seemed to be making progress, he notes, “You’re both right.. look”
Passio: “Right. But on top of that.”
Kyhid Zohl: points to both the bio-electrical readings and the radiation meteorlogical scans
Kyhid Zohl: Whatever is going on there can’t just be coincidental
Kyhid Zohl: If the professor is there, then it would stand to reason its where he is manipulating the bio-electric field… but that radiation… it must be toxic at those levels?
Kyhid Zohl: It doesn’t seem to match that of the nearby former power plant, or am I wrong Chief?
Kyhid Zohl: | R’Rowu’s discerning eye has paid off, and the lettering reveals a hidden cipher in the archaic post it notes.
Ki’lana: “Not toxic enough unless you’ve been exposing yourself longterm.”
Kyhid Zohl: | If tested, it will open the encrypted record with ease.
Ki’lana: “Who knows, he might have protection from his compound, or my theory that he plugged in stupid head into it and that’s protecting him somehow. Or maybe he’s already dead.”
R’Rowu: smirks for just a moment as she realises just how brilliant she is and enters the rest of the cipher with confidence, making the file readable. “See, no help from intelligence needed.”
Kyhid Zohl: Yes, I’d say that’s exactly it. Look, there’s an on-site shield generator, that alone raises suspicions.
Kyhid Zohl: He must have some sort of shielded compound. Whether he’s still breathing within or not, that will prove a challenge for us to access.
Nalys: smirks right alongside R’Rowu. “Expertly done.” She offers a small but meaningful word of praise, nodding at the cat. “Do you see what I see in that log?”
Kyhid Zohl: | The evacuation continues at pace, but there are some strange delays reported in orbit, as civilian ships are being boarded by some of the Ferasans
R’Rowu: Sooo…looks like quite a few access logs?
Passio: “We should be able to manage getting close with some EV suits. Question become what do we do about getting through his shield?”
Kyhid Zohl: ’s ears pick up at the other group’s efforts, “Are you in?”
R’Rowu: nods towards the Andorian “We are, yes. Your hint was a wlcome one.”
Kyhid Zohl: With transporters still unable to operate given the bio-electric interference, I think you’re right Commander, it’ll be by EV suit… hmm, but how to access the compound. The shielding might not
Kyhid Zohl: be the only security measure
Nalys: nods, her fingers gesturing towards a specific line in the logs.
Ki’ras: |Meanwhile in orbit…| Captain T’Mir is hissing at his fellow citizen, Captain Nall. "Nall, tell those hired goons to keep their paws of the civilian ships or, I swear to Seven Sages, I will have++
Ki’lana: “We should be fine without the EV suits if we don’t longer, just a simple radioprotectant should be enough, but the shield…”
Nalys: This access code. Captain, the other groups might have use of this, wouldnt they?
Ki’ras: them ground to the planet. Am I understood?"
Ki’lana: “Simplist solution would be just overloading it with phaser and plasma fire.”
Ki’lana: “But that might compromise the facility if we don’t get that back up in short order. But..”
Kyhid Zohl: We could risk destroying the facility and the professor along with it if it were to interact poorly with the radiation overhead
Kyhid Zohl: Plus, what are the odds of another bio-electric discharge from the planet itself
Ki’lana: “Well if we get the frequency of the shield we might just be able to transport through, doubt the professor got one of the heavy duty shields.”
Kyhid Zohl: takes a look at the data unlocked by R’Rowu and Nalys, but mostly R’Rowu
Passio: “So long as we can get past those shields, we’ll be fine. Any other security measures will be child’s play.”
Ki’ras: =C-Nall= “With all due respect, T’Mir, given the circumstances, you should be happy we pulled your fur out of this mess. But I agree, boarding and hoarding civilian vessels will be taken care of.”
Kyhid Zohl: Yes, access logs… the Governor’s attempts to control the seismic activity perhaps. Could… could these hold some sort of credentialised data? Something we might be able to use to access the prof
Kyhid Zohl: at his compound I wonder?
Kyhid Zohl: I applaud your confidence Commander passio
Kyhid Zohl: I for one will need to take extra precautions around such high levels of radiation.
Nalys: Here, Captain.
Nalys: An access code hidden in the logs. I think that is what we would need.
Ki’ras: =C-T’Mir= “Do not misunderstand me, Nall, I appreciate the help, but we can’t afford these privateers to skittle around in the emergency of any magnitude, let alone this one.”
R’Rowu: blinks a few times as Nalys just pulls out an access code she didn’t notice from the logs. The Commander was more skilled after all. Humbled, she took a step back from the console
Kyhid Zohl: smiles, trust a romulan to find an access code within hundreds of lines of access logs
Kyhid Zohl: whips his PADD across the terminal and holds it aloft, as he looks to the Chief and Commander Passio next, “Perhaps this might come in handy?”
Ki’lana: “Yeah, i’d say so. I was about to just find the shield frequency.”
Kyhid Zohl: reads from their PADD.

continued below…

nynik

Session Transcript - Part 4 (B)

Passio: “Bingpot! Now all we’ve gotta do is confront him.”
Kyhid Zohl: Well let’s hope the Professor isn’t expecting us to have the ‘key’ to his humble abode
Ki’ras: =C= “Squad 4-7, move to to grid H-3-14, Stalker sightings report two families of 12 members in total, getting stuck by the collapsed bridge with their land vehicle.”
Nalys: Lets hope not..
R’Rowu: whispers to Nalys “How did you see that there? You’re amazing..”
Kyhid Zohl: | Further tremors rocks the complex and there are renewed sirens from afar; one of the distant residential towers has collapsed as the earth itself has risen up and twisted in that district
Ki’lana: “…Bingpot?”
Passio: “It’s from an old Earth Tv program. My wife enjoys it.”
Ki’lana: “I thought it goes jackpot.”
Kyhid Zohl: steadies himself after the shaking, "We need to clear this complex. Commander Nalys, Ki’ras might you get onto Captain T’Mir also, focus all efforts on evacuating the last civilians from the main s
Ki’ras: =C= “Squad 1-3, switch to grid A-2-12, a residential tower has collapsed, move the evacuation control point to the south.”
Kyhid Zohl: .. settlement area. We may not have much time for those further afield.
Nalys: peers at R’Rowu, pursing her lips and smiling faintly. Even she doesnt seem sure. “I suppose it just comes with experience..You learn to see odd things out after a while.”
Kyhid Zohl: And I suggest, as soon as the rest <cough> of us can make ready, we take a shuttle to pay the professor a little visit.
Ki’ras: looks briefly to Zohl, shaking his head, but then purr-sighs and nods. “Okay.”
Passio: “Oh, I’m gonna pay him something alright…”
Kyhid Zohl: meets the caitian’s gaze (Ki’ras), it was a matter of triage at this stage, and the coordination centre they were in would likely be the next to collapse if not cleared asap.
Nalys: We are ready here, commander. As ready as we will be.
Kyhid Zohl: nods and begins to get himself into one of the extra EV suits that had been brought by the caitian marines
Ki’ras: =C= "Squads 1-1 to 1-7, without 1-3, proceed to focus on the remaining civilians in the main settlements. Squads 2-1 to 2-9, 3-1 to 3-3, split up the search into two subunits each. Cover as much++
Ki’ras: ground as possible."
Ki’ras: activates his combadge.
Kyhid Zohl: | =C= Zohl to Tykera, we’re heading to coordinates as transmitted, continue with the evacuation directly, we’ll be watched over by the Dhae’Rhian
Kyhid Zohl: was ready remarkably quickly, as he seemed well trained to get into an EV suit; perhaps the soldier’s expertise in him.
Ki’ras: =C= “Shissar to Nez’rel, have all available Stalker fighters deploy heavy scan on the main settlement. Reroute the data to ground troops, we are running out of time.”
Nalys: Captain, are we going by shuttle?
Ki’ras: chitters at one of field medics. “Join the 1-1, and be quick about it.”
Nalys: Captain, are we going by shuttle?
Kyhid Zohl: Yes, there’s no way we can get to the location the Chief and Commander Passio found by terrestrial vehicle, certainly not in these conditions at least.
Kyhid Zohl: If you’re all ready to move, I suggest we take the next available on from the landing zone outside.
Passio: “Sounds good to me.”
Kyhid Zohl: nods and in his EV suit begins to head for the exit.
Kyhid Zohl: takes a fully charged phaser rifle with him
Nalys: Excellent..Then we can change into the EV suit on the shuttle.
Ki’ras: =C= “Shissar to Stalkers… follow the shuttle I am on.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The shuttle banks hard as it approaches a jagged ridgeline deep within the unstable far regions, where the tectonic screaming of the planet is at its loudest. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Tucked into a granite cliff sits Keating’s private compound… a structure of reinforced duranium. It is also protected by heavy-duty shielding. +
Kyhid Zohl: invite sent again, sorry, no idea why that’s not working
Kyhid Zohl: | As the team disembark their shuttle, their EV suits are pushed to their very limits. Fortunately, they don’t plan to be exposed to the radiation storm for long. Zohl speaks over comms -C-
Kyhid Zohl: | “Commander Passio, Chief, don’t leave us hanging out here too long”
Nalys: emerges in her own EV suit, a remarkable and strange piece of technology eerily reminiscent of Voth armour. But the technology seems drawn from the Solanae Dyson Sphere..
Kyhid Zohl: scans the area to see how they might enter and he spots an airlock
Ki’ras: steps out of the shuttle, with his paw on the trigger of his tetryon pistol, fully EV suited.
Passio: “Ki’lana, would like to do the honors of announcing our entrance?”
Ki’lana: “Hey do I look like an officer?”
Kyhid Zohl: adds the airlock to everyone’s HUD
Ki’lana: throws on a helmet.
Kyhid Zohl: Don’t be shy Chief, I’m sure yor captain would like you to make new friends.
Passio: “…I was talking about applying the access code.”
Ki’lana: “Hah.”
Kyhid Zohl: | A wall terminal can be seen recessed as they approach the airlock.
Kyhid Zohl: approaches cautiously, his phaser rifle raised and watching about their position
Passio: manifests a weapon on her right hand.
Ki’ras: “I suggest we keep this short. The planet is not going to tolerate our sass for long.”
Ki’lana: enters the access code into the terminal.
Kyhid Zohl: | The radiation storm overhead causes alarms in each of their suits, and the howling wind makes it difficult to keep one’s footing, despite certain suit aided technologies
Kyhid Zohl: | As the code is entered a monotone confirmation chirp is made, but entirely lost in the violent howling around them. Still, the airlock doors hiss open, and they all enter the facility
Nalys: raises her rifle and peers around the facility, lights on her chestpiece seeking to illuminate what wasnt lit up.
Kyhid Zohl: | Within they see a sterile environment, something close to a laboratory than a bunker. There is a brightly lit corridor ahead
Ki’lana: “Maybe this is the engineer in me speaking but I swear every lab is blindingly lit.”
Passio: rolls 98 (1-100)
Kyhid Zohl: sees a nearby console and goes to it; it may be the airlock controller, but he’ll try to access other systems if possible
Ki’ras: enters cautiously, taking to his right as the helmet HUD filters the blinding light. He has his pistol in front of him.
Kyhid Zohl: rolls 29 (1-100)
Ki’lana: rolls 60 (1-100)
Ki’ras: rolls 35 (1-100)
Passio: does a scanning sweep, applying to herself an eyepiece modification designed to detect and display lifeforms even through bulkheads. She looks to her allys to be sure it works, then glances around.
Nalys: moves to the back of the facility, taking out her tricorder. She begins to scan the plant life, and ESPECIALLY the subjects in the tube. She’s trying to analyze the flora.
R’Rowu: follows Nalys, giving her cover
Ki’lana: brings out a tricorder, for the most part, trying to narrow down the party’s search away.
Ki’ras: takes a general scan of the immediate surroundings.
Kyhid Zohl: | The plan life appears to match the general grain types listed on the colony’s official schedule, but then going to another table, Nalys will find the one referred to as Theta Green strain. +
Kyhid Zohl: | … The plants here show strange readings indeed. And her own eyes can tell that plants appear wrong.. as they phase into and out of sight. As if shifting like a cloaked ship might. Pulsing in a pat
Kyhid Zohl: | pattern.
Kyhid Zohl: | R’Rowu might find a nearby PADD with further information on this behaviour if she is inclined
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s efforts at the console don’t amount to much though he is able to clarify to all that the shielding of the base is indeed heavy duty, and is more starship quality in design than simple colonia
Kyhid Zohl: | .. colonial grade.
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl posits to all that Keating clearly anticipated the need for such shielding.
Nalys: ..I have found it. Theta Green..But these plants..R’Rowu, can yo u take further studies or scans?
Nalys: Is this phasing out of reality, or some kind of..Light trick?
Ki’ras: “Saving his sorry Human ass before everyone else’s.”, sighs. “Why did we ever let them be the Federation capital.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Ki’lana’s tricorder is adjusting to the internal layout of the facility, but is having a tough time resolving readings admist the ambient interference from the laboratory plants +
R’Rowu: It seems..legit. Which is quite eery, honestly…
Kyhid Zohl: | However, it can tell that there are a series of control master lines stemming from the facility deep into the subsurface of the planet, and they match the bio-electric fields being seen everywhere
Ki’lana: “We let the humans be the home of the federation because they’re the crazy ones, remember?”
Ki’lana: “Better to not fight it.”
R’Rowu: scans the plants herself before her integrated flashlight finds a Padd nearby. She looks to Nal for a moment “Want to read it?”
Passio: “That sounds about right. No matter how long I’m around you feds I never get used to humans. Just crazy enough to hang with Klingons, somehow not so crazy as to make the Vulcans run screaming.”
Kyhid Zohl: observes Passio’s optical enhancement and methodical scanning of the facility in search of lifeforms
Ki’lana: “Who knows they’ll find a way to turn a star into a Torus or something.”
Nalys: Read itor read it to me, just tell me what the data says!
Kyhid Zohl: Needless to say, DON’T touch the damn plants
Passio: “Speaking of crazy, I’ve spotted the wayward doctor. Can’t wait to tell Tick and Ecurai that our wall-hack eye idea actually works.”
Kyhid Zohl: Good work Commander Passio. See if we can gain a direct route to where he is.
Ki’lana: “Plants. The lines seem to stem deeper into the subsurface of hte planet.”
Kyhid Zohl: Others may be able to help you
R’Rowu: takes the Padd herself and skimms it before she’d present her Commander the data gathered
Nalys: takes the pad to read it over.
Passio: “Will do! I’ve got plenty of mods for gettin’ through stuff.” She grins with an unseen, wild confidence. She’s in her element now.
Kyhid Zohl: So that confirms this facility and the professor are interacting directly with the planet I think. Any way we can shut it down if we had to? Though maybe we need to find a way to do it gradually.
Kyhid Zohl: There may be a control room for the lines around here
Nalys: It seems to me the only way you can shut it down is to take the research from the Weytahn and communicate with the planet direcetly in turn..Counter his messages.
Ki’ras: “We have to assume the good Professor thought of redundancies too.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The facility opens up into a series of rooms around an open circular chamber.
R’Rowu: “It says…the plant has been engineered to resonate fo bio-electric fields, sir…and unfortunately the planet itself has one, so the plants go into a feedback loop of sorts?”
R’Rowu: And it is phasing…the Theta Green is sensitive to subspace…I do not like that
Ki’ras: “So… plants and the planet resonate with one another? So the bioelectric field that hampered the ships was truly a defense mechanism.”
Nalys: …Hold on.
Nalys: Can we generate our own bioelectric field somehow to give the plant something else to focus on, then?
Kyhid Zohl: Chief, could you establish a link with the Weytahn here? We could use their direct feed for understanding what’s happening with the plants and the lines. Coordnate with Captain Shallas directly
Kyhid Zohl: We don’t know enough to infer defence as yet Ki’ras, it could simply have been the professor’s own actions, but we’ll need to tread carefully indeed
R’Rowu: …maybe? Who knows how they decide which field to focus on? I doubt this was the planned scenario after all.
Ki’lana: “I probably can, no doubt it’ll be filled with interference though Captain.”
Kyhid Zohl: There are likely crops of these things out there in the radiation storm. I doubt we’d be able to interfere with them short of controlling the lines going down into the planet from this facility.
Ki’lana: “Might be able to boost it with something in this compound actually.”
Kyhid Zohl: They may be used as some sort of amplifier though
Passio: Passio examines the first layer of defense. A simple sealed doorway. Behind it might lie more challenge, but this one demands her attention first. She rolls her eyes and her arms are surrounded by+
Kyhid Zohl: A control mechanism the professor and the governor had been working on?
Nalys: Hrmpf. Even a temporary pacification measure would do if we can somehow get the plants to cease trying to harmonize with the planet
Nalys: At that point perhaps we can fit our scorpions with crop duster hardware and kill these plant strains from above.
Kyhid Zohl: Try your best chief. I’m sure the Weytahn will boost the signal on their end once connected
Passio: Replication lights. Soon they are replaced by a pair of wedge-tipped pistons. She slams them into the door, and begins to pull it apart with sheer force.
Passio: rolls 40 (1-100)
Ki’lana: moves over to a nearby console, checking to see if she can’t use it to help boost a signal to the Weytahn.. Lucky her, she can.
Kyhid Zohl: | The door begins to move, and then it moves rapidly as its servos fail. Passio manages to breach the first hurdle, but the brute forcing of the doors, initates an alarm in the corridor beyond+
Kyhid Zohl: | .. and a blast door begins to descend from the ceiling.
Ki’ras: |A message, drowning in static, reaches the away team.| “Capt… Mir. …. evacu… ma… tlment… plete. I repe… the main set…. plete.”
Kyhid Zohl: | It makes a slight hiss as it hits the floor and continues below it.
R’Rowu: Part of me wants to say, you’ll kill quite a few other things too…but another part sees the world dying as a whole if we don’t interfere. The Prime Directive would prohibit the use of the >
R’Rowu: scorpions…but I’m not the Starfleet right now.
Ki’lana: “PIece of..”
Passio: “…of course.”
Kyhid Zohl: I like the idea Commander Nalys, but if we need these plants as an amplifer for whatever the professor was doing to control the planet’s own bio-electric field, could we be cutting off a possible
Kyhid Zohl: solution?
Kyhid Zohl: Is there anyway way you can check out how the bio-electric lines are …. controlled locally? Maybe we can vary their … connection to the subsurface from here
Ki’lana: “Captain, i’ve got us a link with the Weytahn.”
Kyhid Zohl: repeats his message after a burst of static comes through the speakers of his EV suit. The radiation storm was doing a number on comms, even in the facility.
Nalys: Frankly, crop dusting an entire planet is going to take time. In the immidiate, my only suggestion would be to disrupt the communion between the plants and the planet. Short on thatm you can, I -
Nalys: - suppose..Work on the other end of the problem. And try to coax the planet into emitting a slightly different signal.
Kyhid Zohl: Good work Chief. Get onto Shallas and get her in touch with Commander Nalys and R’Rowu asap
Passio: “Hm…wonder if these are designed to withstand micro-singularities…”
Kyhid Zohl: turns to ki’ras, “Did T’Mir say what I think she said?”
Ki’ras: “Plants need water, nutrition, sunlight. And means to procreate…”, he ponders aloud and turns to Zohl. “I hope he did. That the main settlement evac is complete. Or deplete?”
Passio: Passio’s arms return to normal, before her right becomes the arm cannon she was using before. She charges a shot and looks to the door.
Passio: rolls 84 (1-100)
Ki’lana: sends out a hail to the Weytahn.
Nalys: The hail comes through garbled, as expected. It takes a few minutes. But eventually the starship itself seems able to clear up the signal enough for a connection to go through to the bridge
Kyhid Zohl: | The cannon shot strikes the blast door square in the centre, and turns the duranium to molton slag. The second hurdle has been bypassed, and a regular door looks to await ahead.
Passio: “Nope, is the answer to my question.” A sharp-toothed grin crosses Passio’s lips.
Nalys: ..What in the blazes are they even doing back there..
Ki’ras: “Playing god, I am afraid. Just because they can.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The facility shakes from the impact, and emergency fire suppression systems go off in the corridor which Passio was steadily making their way through, most diplomatically
Ki’lana: “Weytahn this is away-”
Ki’lana: grips the console to keep steady from the shaking.
Kyhid Zohl: let’s hope it’s the latter Ki’ras; T’Mir wouldn’t let it go otherwise I’m sure
Nalys: shakes as well, huffing through her helmet. “I’m mildly embaressed we’re serving the same Republic, surely there was a more diplomatic way then cnanon fire..”
Passio: casually walks to the door, slamming on it with her cannon arm. “Open up, Doc! You’re destroying the whole damn planet and we wanna know how to stop it!”
Kyhid Zohl: | The Chief fills in the weytahn all about the current situation and the evidence of control mechanisms in this facility for manipulating the biolectric field of the planet
Ki’ras: “He’s among the most stubborn felines, Captain Zohl.”
Ki’ras: shakes head to Nalys. “Some Imperial traits never wash away, Commander, I am afraid.”
Kyhid Zohl: And among those few caitians I’ve heard who’ve outlived their 9 lives too
Nalys: “Weytahn here. Can you clarify what it is you need from us in this moment? I believe we can help, but we might need some more information from you on the ground.”
Ki’ras: sighs to Zohl. “He’ll retire just before the heat death of the universe.”
Kyhid Zohl: glanced at the temperature reading of his EV suit and the ambient around them, it was pretty cool in the lab, so perhaps the heat death of the universe was still some ways off
Nalys: While awaiting instructions, the crew of the Pathfinder vessel get to work, science teams working to analyze R’Rowu’s findings, they begin to pair it with their own advansed sensor suite, attempting-
Nalys: - to map the reactions of the plantlife around the planet..And then Geology gets involved, attempting to map the reactions of the planet back, seeking to use that knowledge to piece together a method-
Passio: “No answer, huh…” She attempts to simply open the door herself, instead.
Ki’lana: “So that’s about the situation down here.. I was figuring we might be able to interlink the control here to the Weythan.”
Nalys: - for sending signals..At least rudimentary ones. At this point, Biology and Geology are essentially competing, one team trying to send them via the plants, the other via the planet itself
Kyhid Zohl: | The door opens casually after Passio attempted to bang on it. The Professor stood there, but he wasn’t quite ‘there’
Kyhid Zohl: | Alexander Keating was partially phased in and out of subspace.
Passio: “Huh.” She opens her comms. “Hey guys. I’m gonna need one of the sciency folks down here. The professor is both in subspace and not at the same time.”
Kyhid Zohl: manages to glance down the corridor at the sight of the professor shimmering in and out of reality. A fitting end perhaps to such inexperienced attempts at playing god. Or whatever it was Starfleet
Ki’ras: “And you can’t manage that with all your gadgets?”
Kyhid Zohl: | .. Command had jumped into bed with the professor to achieve.
Ki’lana: “What was that, subspace?”
Kyhid Zohl: Passio, don’t touch him. Back away, we don’t want to lose you in the process. He seems… not all together present.
Passio: =C= “Was not about to, Cap. Do you think we can get him back?”
Kyhid Zohl: | Within a few moments, the interlink is created between the Weytahn in orbit and the facility. Despite the radiation storm overhead, the effots of the Chief, and Nalys and R’Rowu manage to com
Kyhid Zohl: | .. compensate heroically. But what will be tried… now that the power of a planet is at the fingertips of a starship captain
Nalys: “Weytahn here..We believe we’re managing to piece together a method of communication between the plants and the planet. The question now is what to do with it.”
Kyhid Zohl: notes the status update from the team working the interlink, over comms he asks, “Well, don’t just stand there, turn it off!”
Nalys: The Andorian’s voice rings through, thoughtfully “I’m inclined to attempt to seperate plant and planet to some extent, even if that comes at the cost of the world’s..Unique potential.”
Nalys: Turn..Hold on, turn what off?
Ki’lana: “Just turn off the planet! Simple as pie!”
Nalys: Ah, right, turn off the planet!
Passio: “I’ll just…take a few scans and give ’em to Corowyn later, probably.” She backs away from the professor and rejoins the rest of the group.
Kyhid Zohl: Give it your best shot Nalys; my report will reflect kindly, if we survive
Kyhid Zohl: makes a check of passio on their return to see if any part of them is phasing
Nalys: Its hard to tell if V’lani is as amused. However, the crew do begin attempting to “tune” the planet, seeking to ease the planetary disaster caused by the quakes, by using its deflector to emit -
Nalys: - different signal pulses for the plantlife to focus on. The vessel begins with only a weak effort, that would ramp up slowly if results prove promising..
Nalys: I am hardly in the driver’'s seat here. The Anarhai can assist in clean up, but the Weytahn seems to be on to something we havnt picked up.
Kyhid Zohl: | As the Weytahn’s science team pushes the final interlink protocols through the terminal, a massive sub-axial dampening field radiates into the planet’s core from the facility. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The effect appears to almost “tune” the planet by emitting precise deflector pulses. These signals harmonize with the native flora, acting as a sub-axial dampener that slowly lowers +
Kyhid Zohl: | … the “volume” of the core’s bio-electric surge one step at a time.
Kyhid Zohl: watches the seismic readouts stabilize as the planet’s agonizing roar fades into a steady, quiet hum. Even the radiation storm dissapates overhead.
Passio: “Hey, it worked! Er, is working, I guess, but still! Nice work, guys.”
Kyhid Zohl: The feedback loop is closing. I think you’re onto something Weytahn, Nalys, everyone… we might just have done it
Ki’ras: =C= “Nez’rel to Weytahn. I have no idea what you did, but can you confirm that the bioelectric interference will not hamper transporter colimation beam?”
Ki’lana: “Or if we should be standing here still.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Moments pass. A sharp, ozone-heavy scent of the bio-electric discharge begins to fade as the air scrubbers cycle the atmosphere in the facility. The Theta Green stops phasing, and so too +
Kyhid Zohl: | … does the Professor. He collapses to the ground but is only unconscious.
Kyhid Zohl: | Across the planet, emergency klaxons gradually turn off. For the first time in days, the ground feels solid and certain.
Nalys: “Stand by.”
Nalys: After a while, a sudden flash of light erupts into the middle of the group. A small, bright red rose manifests in the middle of the floor, when the comms chime through "Confirmed. Transporters are -
Nalys: - functioning!"
Kyhid Zohl: lets out a long, controlled exhale, his shoulders finally losing their military tension. He holsters his phaser. Was the crisis finally behind them? He turns to look at the professor.
Ki’ras: =C= “Excellent, Weytahn. We will power up all available personnel and cargo transporters for emergency evacuation of the remaining settlers and Marine troops.”
Ki’ras: emergency beam out
Kyhid Zohl: steps across the facility to the professor, grabbing him off the floor by his lab coat. “Wake up, Keating. What the hell were you trying to do?”
Nalys: “Any that are willing to be evacuated, please go ahead. ..I imagine the settlers might have some opinions about that, but let that be a matter for cleanup.”
Nalys: …The caitian defense force could end up being here quite a while if we want to truly stabilize this world.
Kyhid Zohl: | Keating comes around a little, and blinks, colour drains from his face. “It was only… an experiment” he whispers. “A controlled study of the Hobus-nucleotide resonance…” +
Kyhid Zohl: | … “… it wasn’t supposed to actually take hold. We almost phased the entire planet! How wonderful”
Kyhid Zohl: lets go of the man’s coat with a look of pure disdain. “A controlled study that nearly cost several thousand lives and a planet. Your ‘experiment’ is a war crime, Keating +”
Ki’ras: |As his EV comms chirp, Ki’ras stands still for a moment, and then his shoulders and head simply - sink.| “Understood. Thank you, Corporal… I will… inform the captain.”
Nalys: How wonderful! Tsh-…I would have expected this from a Tal Shiar science division, not-..Nalys exhales. She doesnt speak loudly, only close enough for Ki’ras and R’Row to hear. She’s not insulting,-
Kyhid Zohl: continues, “And I suspect Starfleet Command is going to find it very difficult to explain why they enabled it.”
Nalys: - but the sheer amount of damage nearly caused visibly frustrates her*
Passio: Passio taps her comm unit. “Heyyyyy, babe. Bring the Valiant Majesty back to the ship, the disaster part is over. I’ll get S’ten to recall the away teams and the shuttles. Love you!”