SCENE 2 - U.S.S. Merrimac

[donimator]

"Environmental Engineering to Engineering. Mr. Ramos... can you dispatch a team down here? We are having some irregular malfunctions with our doors... thanks."

Downer hadn't felt the coldness in the pit of his stomach for some time, but it was back. Usually it came when he was starting to lose control or when his actions were only serving to feed into a bigger problem he knew was out there but did not know how to handle. The oddity with the environmental controls on the Merrimac triggered his concern about problems on the Columbia. He was seeing 2 and 2 adding up to 4 across the board here, but there was little he could do without some proof or evidence.

Engineering knew their systems and could diagnose a problem before he could. He wanted to enact a security lockdown protocol on the computer system, but the threshholds to support such an action had not been met. He only had his hunches...

At the very least he could refocus his attention to the specific systems in question. He reconfigured his checks to isolate logs of computer activity routed through the environmental control data links.

[tomcat]

"Environment, this is Engineering... I have a team on the way," was all Downer heard in reply from Commander Ramos.

He left that situation for the engineers to deal with and focused on his own diagnostics. The systems test he ran began to display results on his console. He minimized one screen and slid the test results over to his  left, all the while bringing up the current operating display. Dylan then brought up a diagnostic screen that showed a waterfall display of his running systems in elapsed time - the display showing power demands and connectivities to vital ship functions. He chose a point in time that was exactly 3 minutes prior to the science console lock up and his own loss of data connection with the Mac, and then pressed a play button that made the waterfall display animate. Effectively, he was able to watch how his console had functioned in terms of bandwidth, energy input and output, etc. He compared the waterfall display to an image on his right of normal operating power demands, and also to how his systems were operating now.

Downer watched the elapsed time display all the way through once, then twice, and then a third time again. It was just before he was about to shut down the whole diagnostic as being futile that he saw it. A spike in energy routines. It was a readout of data connectivity and the Columbia's computer core controls. It was almost indistinct and Dylan was actually surprised that he had caught it at all, but there it was. From what he could tell, while the Columbia's core was talking to the Mac, there was a surge of energy on multiple bandwidths, but not close at all to the levels of radiation that were emanating from the cluster. No, this surge of energy was subtle and quick.

[sdrotar]

Environmental Engineering's doors...  Sorek heard Ramos' report and somewhere in his mind, puzzle pieces fell into place.

"Security, this is the Captain," he said after toggling the comm switch on his chair. "Send an armed team to Environmental Engineering. Report immediately on anything out of the ordinary."

On the Merrimac, the boarding party's information indicated that most of the crew perished either from exposure to radiation or cold - both environmental factors that the ship usually compensated for. Stonn knew that there was an alien presence on board that ship, and it seemed likely that the creature killed everyone on board, intentionally or otherwise.

The fact that the ship was experiencing problems - in that area... Vulcans didn't believe in coincidences.

He toggled the switch again. "Security. I will meet you in Environmental Engineering presently."

Stonn stood up and headed for the turbolift, prepared for anything.

[donimator]

Downer debated and compiled info, wanting some proof to give the Captain. Any delay or restriction on shipboard functions could affect the Merrimac away team. After all of these years was he still being overly cautious? The Captain's directive to Ramos confirmed his own suspicions. As he rose, Downer made a suggestion,

"Captain. I recommend we go to Intruder Alert status. I isolated a distinct energy surge before we lost contact with the Merrimac. I think we have a ghost. I'm going to see if I can lock down the primary Environmental systems."

Downer knew the Enviromental systems were amongst the most important and most redundant systems on the ship. The primary controls could easily be shut down with their functions seamlessly picked up by a multitude of other systems. He hoped his hunch was right about the target of this 'intruder's' attack and could cut access off to the rest of the ship.

He flicked the comm channel to Ramos, "Chief Ramos, I think the Enviro controls have been infiltrated through a data link with the Merrimac. I'm going to initiate a primary system lockdown. Please have your crew monitor secondary systems for anomalies."

Downer pushed all subroutines aside and brought up the mission ops controls. He aimed to isolate all data nodes connecting the primary environmental systems from the rest of the ship and have those functions taken over by backup systems. As almost an afterthought, he considered trying to do so in a way that the primary system itself would still think it was still in control.

Computer Use test below, if applicable (or start of an extended test?) DC unknown. If it will make a difference, Downer will spend Courage to improve his result (+5 instead of +3 due to Intrepid ability)

Initial Computer Use Roll
Downer, Computer Use +8

Rolled 2d6+8 : 3, 3 + 8, total 14

(Encrypt specialty +2?, Courage pts (+5), 1 or 2?)

[sdrotar]

"Very well, Mr. Downer," Stonn replied in the turbolift's comm panel. "Go to Intruder Alert status. I will communicate further when I have ascertained the situation in Environmental Engineering. Captain out."

Stonn knew, of course, that if a computer virus or malicious program had caused the problem, he would see - or sense - nothing. But he surmised that something quite different was affecting the Columbia. It was possible that he might be able to understand it better with nearer proximity.

The turbolift doors whooshed open and the new captain of the Columbia strode down its halls with purpose.

[tomcat]

Stonn stopped of a sudden, as his mind was touched once again. It was stronger this time and the impressions he perceived almost made him swoon. The Vulcan caught himself by putting a hand to the wall. Crewmen that walked the hall around him, saw their captain falter, and some reached out to aid him.

In his mind, Stonn felt an incredible peace. A feeling of almost absolute bliss and caring. It was as if something had reached out to him with nothing but pure benevolence, and he had the impression that it was extending help. That there was concern from this being for him and all crewmen that were aboard his ship - that this entity wanted, or needed, to aid them.

The captain motioned to his fellow shipmates that he was no longer in need, as the sensation disappeared. He looked around and saw concerned faces, and flashing yellow lights from the intruder alert. Stonn straightened his tunic and then moved on down the hall towards environment. As he approached the doors, it seemed he was once more engaged within his mind. The Vulcan could sense something there and it seemed to darken the entrance in shadow.

On the bridge, Downer received a communication. "Food banks to bridge. Sir, we are having some strange issues down here with the replicators... everything is being produced spoiled."

[donimator]

Food stores?... Downer immediately assumed his attempted lockdown was either too late or ineffectual. Something was moving through their system and he couldn't even tell where or what it was let alone figure out how to stop it. He initiated emergency computer access protocols and informed Cmdr. Grahm of the action and need. It would slow down some of the ship functions, but with the logging and tracing abilities that the protocols gave, he hoped it might also slow and isolate the intrusive source.

What does this thing want? Downer looked around at the bridge crew. Junior officers mostly, He wished the away team was back on board. Think, man. Think! Perhaps a lure or a trap? Something to distract this entity while they worked at purging it. Downer's specialty was Comms and he had only a working knowledge of the other systems. He thought of the entertainment systems on the ship. Could he generate an excessive amount of activity in those routines that might draw attention to them. He hoped so...

I guess I'm looking at an information test here - trying to see if an idea is possible. Basically Downer wants to generate an obscene amount of activity in the entertainment subroutines in the hopes of drawing the intruder's attention to them. If it can be distracted with a non-essential system, it might buy some time.

Computer Use test
Downer, Use Computer +8

Rolled 2d6+8 : 6, 2 + 8, total 16

[tomcat]

John agreed immediately with Downer's actions. The Security Officer was deeply concerned with the thought of a malignant entity within the Columbia - moving within its systems. It could threaten them all.

"Very good, Mr. Downer," said Grahm, as he crossed the bridge to the operations center. His mind was working, "If there is some kind of presence within the Columbia's systems we need to find a way to contain it as well as distracting it." He let out a sigh. With the captain off the bridge, he was the officer on deck. "Mr. Downer, we must also take into our equation that this presence could escape, too. If it has entered the Columbia through open channels with the Merrimac, then it could return there. So we must decide... do we try and contain it here, or give it an opportunity to return and hide within the Mac? If it were to return to the other ship, and if it is malicious, it could put our away teams at risk. After all, they have less resources than we do."

John's lips went tight across his face as he struggled with the decision, then resolution appeared, "Mr. Downer, inform the away team that we are cutting off all communications to the Mac, the team, and any shuttles that are currently on the pad over there. Order all other shuttles inbound or outbound to immediately return. I will inform the captain of my decision."

Grahm strode across the deck. He spoke again, "Dylan, let's see if we can isolate these things quickly! Science? We need some answers as to what we are dealing with!"

"Yes, sir," was the response.

The Columbia became an electronic cacaphony within itself. Programs that were at most times dormant, or which ran only during certain times, now all crowded up the ship's systems. Downer watched as there was a dramatic increase in demands for operating memory, power, and channels. It truly became a chaotic nightmare for him to have to monitor.

All the while, he watched for power fluctuations or odd changes within the system. Dylan kept his ears peeled for any departmental communications that were odd. The operations officer brought up the bandwidth image of the power surge to use it as a template for any other strange movement within the Columbia, to watch and see where, whatever it was, might be moving.

Marshal was suddenly at this side. The science officer looking over the operations board. "If we are right in our assumptions, that something has violated the ship's systems, then we should be able to isolate rather quickly. You have the results of your last environmental diagnostic, right? Let's bring that up and look at it. The presence, whatever it is should have left its imprint in the electrical fluctuations, almost like a fingerprint. We should be able to trace it wherever it goes. Once we see how its moving, we can think up a way to isolate it and contain it."

None of what Marshal said was a new idea to Dylan. He had been working on that for the last thirty minutes, but at least having his fellow crewman support his ideas made him feel a bit relieved.



Okay Don, first... I only used 1 of your Courage to increase your Computer Use roll above to a result of 21 (encryption was a good specialty to, because you are able to write encrypted protocols that will essentially fool an outside entity).

Second, your information roll was fine. I also think of it as a Sys Ops roll for activating the Columbia's libraries and different service routines and thus flood the ship's systems with operations. Thus making a noisy, difficult maze for something to try and navigate through.

Now, I need a Sys Ops (Operations) test TN 25... please. You may include a +2 affinity bonus for Marshal who is working with you at your console.

Last of all, I will need a verbal (or narrative) from you that Downer is cutting all connections to the Mac. Just so I know it is done, otherwise there is a way out... maybe... 

[donimator]

Downer worked with Marshal to filter out normal activity in the readings and find their target. Time was the enemy here because it seemed the activity was heading for an exponential increase the longer this thing had unfettered access. Here's hoping it could be corralled and shut down.

Downer's Sys Ops test TN 25
Downer - Sys Ops +8, Mission Ops spec, +2, Crewmember affinity +2 = +12

Rolled 2d6+12 : 2, 1 + 12, total 15

Downer will spend Courage, if needed to get a success - +5 per point from Intrepid ability. 2 pts should do it unless dice come up snake eyes!

As the parameters were being set, Downer sent the directive through to the away team. He wavered a moment at cutting all contact, even the transporter locks, but Grahm was right. Whatever had been awakened could leave them in the same shape as the Merrimac. He transmitted directly to Sorek:

"Columbia to away team. Cmdr. Sorek...an unknown entity has entered our systems. Commander Grahm has ordered all contact with the Merrimac to be cut...You'll be on your own for awhile, Commander. Be safe. Please acknowledge."

With Sorek's reply, Downer cut all active links to the Merrimac.

[donimator]

Downer's Sys Ops test TN 25
Downer - Sys Ops +8, Mission Ops spec, +2, Crewmember affinity +2 = +12
  Rolled 2d6+12 : 2, 1 + 12, total 15

Downer will spend Courage, if needed to get a success - +5 per point from Intrepid ability. 2 pts should do it unless dice come up snake eyes!

Wow! Yeah, that sucked - 2 points of courage @ +5 each to get to 25 should do it?

[sdrotar]

Chief Engineer Ramos burst upon the bridge, breathless and panting.
"Captain," he began, then noticed that Captain Stonn was nowhere to be seen.

He had no time for that now. Grahm was here - he'd have to do.

"Commander," he started, "the system... infection is essentially replacing our data with... well, nothing. I don't understand it."
He rushed over to the Engineering station, where he could monitor every function on the ship, without even stopping to take another breath.
"I've ordered the hardlines cut on all computer cores that house the low-level subroutines where we've seen problems, and I'm giving orders to continue doing so where possible."

His hands flew across his board, issuing missives to the rest of Engineering to that effect.

"But the problem, sir, is that if this problem manifests itself in a critical system that we can't live without, like life support..."
The question hung in the air. Is that what happened to the Merrimac?

"Right now, it's everything we can do to contain it. Until we understand how our systems are being compromised, we're fighting a losing battle. It's just a matter of time."

[sdrotar]

Stonn reached Enviromental Systems, his mind clearing a bit, but still in awe of the power of the entity that had contacted him.
It seemed that Security had not yet reached the area, which he found odd.

He stepped toward the doors, but they would not open.
Using his Vulcan strength, Stonn dug his fingers between them and pried them apart just enough for him to fit through, curious at his own actions.
Why had he not simply used the manual override lever in the panel alongside the door?

All these questions... the lack of Security personnel, his own behavior, the sense that he must get behind those doors and confront/experience what lay behind them... normally, they would have made Stonn pause at the very least, but he felt driven, almost beyond his own volition.

While a part of him knew he was making a mistake, nothing stopped the overwhelmed Vulcan from sliding between the disjointed doors and stepping into the unknown... pulled by a force he could not yet understand.

[tomcat]

Stonn was alone in environemental control, but at the same time he knew he wasn't. The room was motionless and only the sounds of the computers and machines gave it any life at all. The Vulcan moved deeper into the control room weaving between the consoles until he reached the larger scrubbers. He felt fans drawing air in to cool turning motors and to resaturate the returning air with nitrogen and oxygen. There was more to environment then these simple scrubbers, in fact there were massive systems set in the Columbia's hull and huge tanks of the needed gases, but here the engineers could keep sampling the environment to suit the crew on board.

The captain suddenly paused. Stonn knew he was being watched. He turned to look towards a corner where shadows hung like night, and he knew that there was a darker shadow within. His hands went to his head of a sudden, as Stonn felt a wave of psi-energy assault him. The key area of his mind that was being probed was that which controlled emotions and pain - but not the same feelings of love and compassion as before. The new attack was anger, fear, sorrow, and despair. Stonn heard incoherent whispers in his head and knew that they spoke to his subconscious of failure and death.

Behind him, the doors opened again as five of Grahm's security officers ran into the chamber. They drew weapons and maneuvered quickly about as they saw their captain reeling from an unseen attacker.

On the Columbia's bridge, Marshal and Downer smiled as the Ops officer confined the signature. It was clear as day, like a sine wave that runs along a cosine wave, distorting it as it does. It was definitely an energy form that was able to move within the many power conduits and computer cabling of the ship - which literally meant thousands of miles of transitable corridors on the ship. The only other question was how quickly it moved. That was when Downer isolated the signal more and realized it was not one, but three.

The two bridge crewmen were so intent on their actions, that they did not heed Ramos entering the bridge nor his concerns to Grahm. It was when Downer and Marshal saw systems going offline - hardline - that they turned to see the engineer issuing orders through his station to cut all access to the Columbia's computer core.



I need Stonn to roll a Psi: Mind Shield test to defend against TN 12.

[sdrotar]

Stonn's PSI: Mind Shield Test (TN 12):
Roll(2d6)+4:6,1,+4 Total:11
I'll spend a Courage Point to pass this test, please.

[donimator]

Downer smiled as they found it and his mind immediately began to draw to power signature profiles that may attract or repel it. Living energy. An entity of some sort, but it had to respond to some fundamental laws. Could he draw it to a safe area with a complimentary wave? Find a cancelling frequency that might act to block it? He was pleased to see the science officer was thinking along the same lines as they worked collabaratively on a strategy to deal with this...

Blip! Blip! Routines started disappearing off his screen as he realized what was happening on the bridge. "Chief! Commander! It's an energy form that can travel the power and data conduits. Not one, three! We've isolated their signatures. A few moments and we can test a plan to corral them, but we need computer access. It...they can get into any system by the power couplings and data channels. A control lockdown won't be enough."

Could they attract it somewhere and kill all power and data links? Would that be enough? Perhaps onto a shuttle they could jettison? Perhaps back to the Merrimac?...Downer hoped his pleas would let him continue to work. (And was the Chief always this agitated? He disliked being new to a ship. Knowledge was power, and he had precious little of the senior officers.)