SCENE 2 - U.S.S. Merrimac

[tomcat]

The Aladdin's crash landing was relayed back to its base ship within moments. The shuttle's onboard CPU maintained a direct link with the Columbia, constantly conveying the craft's status. When it slammed to the deck on the Merrimac's hangar, multiple bridge consoles began to flash urgent data. Science, tactical, ops, and helm all were relayed the same information - the Aladdin just went down.



All players can give me a Perception test TN 14 (TN 12 for Vulcan's), including PC's in engineering or any other part of the ship.

[donimator]

Downer saw the state of the Aladdin, but little could be done with it from here. He continued to try and maintain a positive comms lock on the shuttle and the personal communicators of the crew. The logs continued to come in and he scanned them as best he could amidst the sudden chaos of the bridge.

What if that thing's still there? Was that the 'Save us' message cut into the log recording?

Captain. I'm receiving some of the Merrimac's logs. Last one first. Some unknown object was in the ship. Sounds like it was the cause of their troubles and nothing they did had any effect. It may still be there, sir. It could try to attach to us."

Perception test TN 14
Perception +1

Rolled 2d6+1 : 3, 5 + 1, total 9

[seppun1]

     Pushkin glances back as the information comes in about the Merrimac.  Impulse was still there, so was shields and environmental systems.   He glances to the Captain and Ops.  "Maybe we will be able to tow her back to a safer location?"   He offers up the idea.   

      He looks surprise as the shuttle lands roughly upon the Mac's flight deck.   He looks to his own controls, making sure it wasn't some gravitic wave that cause the trouble.   

[tomcat]

He looks surprise as the shuttle lands roughly upon the Mac's flight deck.

'Mac' ... I like the nickname for the Merrimac. 

[sdrotar]

Ramos' Perception test (TN 14):
Roll(2d6)+1:2,2,+1 Total:5 - FAIL

Stonn's Perception test (TN 12):
Roll(2d6)+2:6,6 (2),+2 Total:16 - SUCCESS 

***

"Damage report," Stonn snapped. "Hail the Aladdin and request status."

A flurry of brief orders followed; he requested that Grahm have a rescue shuttle readied and placed on standby, asked Science to scan for any gravimetric distortion or interference that may have contributed to the crash, and had updated scans of the Merrimac's hangar deck sent to Ramos in Engineering in an effort to determine if the area was still stable.

He peered intently at the listing vessel on the viewscreen, as if he could somehow extract new information from the act itself.

[tomcat]

"Columbia. Columbia. This is Lt. Marsden, flight officer of the Aladdin, reporting in. We have a situation here... seems our ship was hit and may be damaged. Landing party disposition to follow, although I know that we have one casualty thus far. Marsden out."

The unattached voice came over the open communication channel and broadcast over the bridge's speakers. It brought relief to all who heard it, including the vulcan captain that sat there waiting for reports from his staff. It was then that he sensed it... or more like felt it. He had been observed... psionically. Something had just touched him with its mind, but Stonn was not sure for what purpose. All he knew was that something knew they were here. Stonn looked around his crew but saw no one else with an apparent reaction to being psionically touched. His logical mind postulated that either they had not been, or were unaware if they had.

From his left Grahm called out, "A Galileo is being prepped, sir. Might have radiation issues with it, but it will be ready on the flight deck in five." Then science called out behind him, "Captain, I have nothing on gravimetric shear. Space is acting normally around us at the moment."

[tomcat]

Grahm's perception test
TN 14 Perception +2
-------------------------
Roll(2d6)+2: 1,4,+2 Total:7 FAILED

Pushkin's perception test
TN 14 Perception +1
-------------------------
Roll(2d6)+1: 6,1,+1 Total:8 FAILED

[sdrotar]

"Thank you, gentlemen," Stonn responded. "Mr. Grahm, please order that any officers aboard the rescue shuttle wear protective radiation gear - and store extra onboard in case it becomes necessary to retrieve personnel from the Aladdin."

He thought about the sensation - the being that touched his mind. Something was alive on that vessel, and logically, it wasn't part of the original crew. He had training - as most Vulcans did - in using his innate psionic skills, but he required touch, or at least very close proximity, to initiate any sort of contact. So he opened his mind, and "listened" for more.

[tomcat]

"Aye, Captain," replied Grahm. He touched the communicator on his console, "Hangar bay, this is Commander Grahm. See to the preparation of the Galileo for immediate departure." That done, the Tactical Officer turned back to Mr. Stonn, "Sir, I'd like to see to this one, unless you'd prefer my presence here on the bridge? Maybe Ramos, and Pushkin might be useful, too?"

John realized he was asking for some of the core officers of the Columbia to join him, but he figured it was worth a try. They had injured people over there that needed pulled out, as well as a job to do. Grahm thought the best people on the job might be the best decision. But it wasn't his... he stood looking at Stonn who seemed lost in his own mind, waiting for the answer.

Stonn had heard Grahm's request, but the focus he was applying to open his mind to anymore 'communications' were his priority. The Vulcan sat a moment quietly listening, but there was nothing. Perhaps there might be more contact in the near future. Stonn turned to look at Grahm, his eyebrow raising in the characteristic Vulcan-fashion. Suddenly, Ramos voice came over the bridge speakers as he announced the options to blow off the doors on the Merrimac.

[donimator]

Downer continued to review the Merrimac's logs as he monitored his station. He parsed any interesting bits into a report to send to the Captain. He continued the diagnostics on the ship's systems.

[tomcat]

The Ops officer overheard the captain and tactical officer speaking behind him, and that Grahm was requesting senior personnel to accompany him in the Galileo. For a moment Dylan wanted to also accompany the team, but then the log videos he was watching brought his attention back to what he was working on.

The current video showed a different person this time reporting - an officer wearing the uniform and pips of ship's First Officer.

Captain's log, stardate 8034.3A
First Officer Kravitz reporting - follow up to Captain Morrison's previous report...

The captain is dead. He had been complaining of hearing incessant voices speaking to him. Dr. Solazar has reported multiple personnel with the same symptoms and there is no apparent reason for these brave men and women to be losing their minds. Anyway, the captain entered the airlock on deck 6 and vacated the chamber into space, with himself included.

With the captain's death, that brings the Merrimac's total to 276. I have crewmen going crazy and others just stopping... no sickness; no wounds; no nothing... Solazar just says they stopped living, or whatever lived within them has left.

On a side note... engineering has reported that there will definitely be no way to re-start either the warp or impulse engines. Sooner or later, the gravitational pull of KC1 will drag the ship too far into the cluster for any of us to survive. Although it is utterly alien, the orb within our secondary hull is protecting the crew from the heavy radiation bathing the ship. My science officer has told me that the radiation is not being deflected, but that it is more like it is being altered... to make it safer? I don't know. Maybe this is what is causing the crew to go crazy... the voices... the music... the colors?

Kravitz out for now... oh, yea... there has been no answers to our calls. Not even from the pirate base that we detected on asteroid KCbz128-1. Maybe they're all dead, too.

Downer was intrigued with the evolving story and he needed to know what brought them to this. He selected a log from the list that dated thirty-five days prior to the one he had just watched.

Captain's log, stardate 7958.1
Captain Morrison of the starship Merrimac reporting. Ship still on security patrol of the Kalandra sector.

After our last engagement with an Orion pirate ship, we captured two crewmen from the dying ship. It seems that they would all rather fight to the end then face Federation justice. It took some time but we were able to get some good intel from one of the prisoners that the pirates have a secret base dug out of an asteroid that orbits the Katyon Cluster. I am issuing orders for the Merrimac to proceed to the cluster after we have finished our rendezvous with the Bretagne to dispense of the prisoners.

Again Dylan scrolled through the logs, this time moving up in time...

Captain's log, stardate 8007.9
Captain Morrison reporting.

Our condition remains the same. Engineering is currently working on a new plan to stop the deuterium leak in hopes that we save some of the fuel that the ship needs to create anti-matter and that we can keep the warp core alive. If it goes, I fear that we will never escape the gravitational well of the Katyon Cluster. It would appear that the ambush by the three rogue vessels - assumed Orions - may be successful in destroying us after all.

Captain out for now... what's that? What is in our atrium??

[donimator]

Downer formulated a priority message to the Captain with a status update from the logs. The bridge crew were professional, but he would rather the Captain choose when and how this information would be disseminated. Much was speculative and a thorough review of the logs would be required to get the full picture, but some important details contained in them may affect the current mission.

Flash Message, Tagged Yellow
To: Capt. Stonn
Fr: Lt. Downer

BEGIN: Cursorary scan of Merrimac's logs indicate an alien object may have affected ship. Notable points:
- madness began to manifest in crew - voices, music
- alien orb appeared to alter cluster radiation to protect crew
- alien orb lodged in secondary hull
- Merrimac was investigating pirate base on asteroid KCbz128-1 near cluster

Will continue to parse logs.
END

[sdrotar]

Captain Stonn read Downer's report with interest; he had no doubt that the orb - whatever it was - was still on board the Merrimac, and it was responsible for the "voices" crewman had heard. After all, he had "heard" them himself.

"Mr. Downer," he asked, "please forward this report to all department heads  - and the boarding party, and then hail them. I want to speak to Mr. Sorek."

He turned to Grahm and let him know that he wanted the rescue shuttle launched immediately, even if it had to hold station off the Merrimac's stern until the engineering team could blow the emergency hangar door release.

Then he asked Grahm to prepare another shuttle; whether Stonn would use it for rescue or his own travel as yet remained uncertain. The latter part, however, he kept to himself.

[tomcat]

What is Stonn's wish re: the rescue shuttle personnel - Grahm, Ramos and Pushkin. Understand though, that if they leave their posts, crewmen will take positions and only get 1/2 to 3/4 of their skill ranks based on how nice I am. 



Grahm nodded at Stonn's order and punched his comm, "Bridge to hangar bay, launch the Galileo 042." He looked back to his captain, "Sir... you sure you don't want some of us on that thing?"

Across the bridge, Downer was following his orders. A voice was suddenly heard coming over the intercom, "Captain? This is Lt. Commander Sorek reporting as ordered."

[sdrotar]

What is Stonn's wish re: the rescue shuttle personnel - Grahm, Ramos and Pushkin. Understand though, that if they leave their posts, crewmen will take positions and only get 1/2 to 3/4 of their skill ranks based on how nice I am. 

I think, for the rescue shuttle, we won't use any "name" personnel; we're trying to simply ferry our own wounded back to the Columbia, that's all. However, if the boarding party finds anything that demands more department heads' attention, we'll address that soon enough.

Grahm nodded at Stonn's order and punched his comm, "Bridge to hangar bay, launch the Galileo 042." He looked back to his captain, "Sir... you sure you don't want some of us on that thing?"

Across the bridge, Downer was following his orders. A voice was suddenly heard coming over the intercom, "Captain? This is Lt. Commander Sorek reporting as ordered."

"No, Mr. Grahm," the captain responded. The pilot on duty and medical personnel are simply to retrieve our injured and return them to the Columbia, post-haste. Further supervision is unnecessary; I need our department heads on duty here."

He was about to explain why.

When Sorek's channel was open, he spoke through the speaker in his chair. "This is the captain. Mr. Sorek, we have reason to believe there is a life form of unknown and alien origin aboard the Merrimac. Logs indicate as such," he said before pausing, knowing his next words might cause unease among the bridge crew. "And I personally have been contacted by the creature through psionic means. Be on your guard; the Merrimac's records indicate that mental contact with the creature, over prolonged spans of time, may induce some kind of madness or dangerous mental instability.

"Keep an open channel and report all findings; whether they are seen... or sensed. Understood?"