SCENE 2 - U.S.S. Merrimac

[tomcat]

Marshal ran to his console at the captain's order. He activated the Columbia's long range scanners and set them to high resolution. Data started to scroll up on his screen regarding the inbound target.

"Sir, I am detecting an inbound vessel that is traveling at near warp factor 10. I am getting some strange, fuzzy returns... not that the ship is cloaked, but definitely stealthy materials were included in her makeup. The computer is matching the data up within its library and it is definitely of the Orion Syndicate."

Grahm hearing the report went to his console, "Bridge to tactical... I want a full spread of torpedoes loaded and all phaser banks charged." The tactical officer knew that the ship was at red alert and that said condition required that the ship's weapons be in full readiness, but he wanted everyone to know that he would be calling on them soon. The green lights on his board confirmed his orders, "Captain, the ship is ready."

The 'tickle' that he felt became pervasive and a terrible whispering voice filled Downer's earpiece. He took it out and tossed it on the console, shaking his head and steeling himself as he did. He was not sure what the whispers said, only that something tugged at his will and his emotional state. It was as if great depression wanted to take a hold of him, but he controlled himself and drove the feelings away.

Dylan looked at his console and then the earpiece transceiver. The transceiver was connected directly to his console allowing him to make subtle commands via his voice. Marshal had registered that one of the entities had manifested within his controls. Was that how they were making direct contact with the crew of the Columbia? Through the electronic devices that they carried or used?

He cautiously moved to his console and continued with his efforts of surging power to the batteries on Deck 8.

Stonn's Vulcan mind was working rapidly. What was it that the creatures on board his ship wanted?



I need Stonn to give me an Intellect test TN 12. Because the other crewmembers are not currently working on puzzling out what the entities are doing, they also may try at TN 15. I will give a +2 equipment bonus/situational bonus to this test - meaning that the data on consoles could aid in putting together all of the events in a liniear fashion to define what the beasties want.

[tomcat]

"Physics lab to Bridge... Mr Marshal, we have some interesting data that we are sending to you now."

With all of the chaos going on throughout the ship, and with the incoming potential threat, Marshal watched the time elapsed data graph that the Physics lab had sent to him. On the graph were two points that represented the Merrimac and the Columbia, and dancing about each of them were definitive fluctuations within the ultra-violet radiation wave-lengths.

"Captain, you may want to see this," Marshal said, tying his console feed to the main viewscreen.

[donimator]

Downer considered the path of infestation, for that's what he considered it now. Biofeedback and HID equipment was so pervasive throughout the ship they could do little to function without it. He couldn't afford any more roadblocks along the path to solving this. His will was strong. He would resist.

He checked on the Deck 8 battery charging and tried to confirm both through the Ops station and a secondary system that the commands were having the desired effect.

So much happening. How was it related?
Downer's Intellect test, TN15
Intellect +3, Equip bonus +2

Rolled 2d6+5 : 6, 5 + 5, total 16

[donimator]

Downer pondered the morass of information that flooded his screen. These were creatures of energy that used the power and data conduits to travel, yet their targets seemed to be the crew. They could affect one's mind and stir intense feelings of fear and anxiety. He had had a brush with this through his station controls. The ship and the data relays were the paths, but the crew were the targets. Did they feed off the emotions? Did they create these intense feelings, this state of heightened brain activity and somehow use that to affect a jump from the machine to the flesh?

He was glad results were coming back from the deep scans. He kept at his tasks, searching for the next fluctuation. The first warning that another crewmember may have been affected and was taking action that might hurt themselves or hurt the ship. With time would come the answers, but time was running out.

[tomcat]

Stonn, Ramos and Grahm's Intellect rolls:

Stonn
TN 12 Intellect +3
-------------------------

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

Ramos
TN 15 Intellect +2
-------------------------

Rolled 2d6+2 : 4, 4 + 2, total 10

Grahm
TN 15 Intellect +2
-------------------------

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

I will post again after the results.

[donimator]

Downer received a message from Sorek and patched it through to Captain Stonn:

"Sorek to Captain Stonn. Captain, we made contact with an energy based lifeform called the Kaytons who professed a peaceful nature. They say they rescued the Merrimac's crew from certain death by taking them from their carbon-based bodies to a new state of existence. They said those who resisted were still transformed but not accepted. Captain, is there any merit to the theory that former crewmembers, so converted, are the cause of the problems we are experiencing?"

[sdrotar]

No clue how I missed these last INT roll posts - I've been on the site and posting regularly. My sincere apologies.

"Sorek to Captain Stonn. Captain, we made contact with an energy based lifeform called the Kaytons who professed a peaceful nature. They say they rescued the Merrimac's crew from certain death by taking them from their carbon-based bodies to a new state of existence. They said those who resisted were still transformed but not accepted. Captain, is there any merit to the theory that former crewmembers, so converted, are the cause of the problems we are experiencing?"

Something clicked in Stonn's mind. Was it possible - disembodied Starfleet officers, driven mad, wanted new corporeal bodies back... and may have found a way to do it?

After signaling Downer to patch him through, Stonn responded.
"It is indeed, Mister Sorek. If there is nothing that can be done for the Merrimac's crew, quarantine the vessel and return all boarding party personnel to the Columbia immediately. We are about to be intercepted by an Orion Syndicate vessel."

He spoke to the bridge crew after ending the communication.
"I suspect that our attackers are not alien in origin - at least, they were not originally. I believe that we are under assault by what remains of the Merrimac's crew."

The captain didn't bother to look at the bridge officers' responses to his theory, which hung like icicles in the air - he was already deep in thought. Besides, shock and horror were emotions that Vulcans had long suppressed.

Stonn was relieved he was not human.

[tomcat]

No clue how I missed these last INT roll posts - I've been on the site and posting regularly. My sincere apologies.

Ain't no big thang!



With the captain's orders, Grahm went into action. "Bridge to hangar bay, this is Commander Grahm. Prepare to receive the away shuttle on a rapid transit return and stowing. I want the hangar secured for defenses as soon as the pylons hit the deck."

The tactical officer was glad that they had not stopped the Galileo from shuttling back over after it had returned with the wounded. There was a shuttlecraft in the Mac's bay, but who knew if it was operational. In any case, the returning Galileo 042 would be packed tight and need to be quick. He looked over his shoulder, "Captain, I suggest we decrease our orbital range around the Merrimac to allow for a shorter transit for the returning away team." He then turned to his coordination officer, a young lieutenant who sat one chair away from him, "Time until the threat arrives, Lt. Paxton?"

The young woman looked to her commanding officer, "Sir, at current speed we have about ten minutes. I can only assume the ship will slow to impulse once it has come closer to the massive asteroid field that surrounds the cluster."

"We can only hope, Lieutenant. I want you to track the inbound's trajectory. I want you to back track it and find out where it came from." Grahm turned away from his console assured that everything within his department was ready. "Captain, if we are going to fight this ship, we need to know what these invasive entities can do to us, where they are, and hopefully how to stop them."

It was Marshal that chimed in next, "Captain, what we have seen so far is definitely an energy-based being, but it seems to be using psionic - or empathic - types of attacks on our personnel. Not in a physical sense where they cause harm, but more that they dredge up suicidal tendencies. We saw this in Ensign Masterman and her releasing herself through the airlock... we've also seen it in the Mac's log recordings. Fear seems to be what they feed on, or perhaps they just wish to bring sorrow to others for their own loss... I don't know. I am not sure how my analysis helps in finding a solution, but I will continue to collate data."

[sdrotar]

"Captain, I suggest we decrease our orbital range around the Merrimac to allow for a shorter transit for the returning away team."

"Affirmative, Mr. Grahm," Stonn responded. So long as the ship's compromised systems allow, close the gap between the ships - I do not want our personnel in transit any longer than they have to be."

"Captain, what we have seen so far is definitely an energy-based being, but it seems to be using psionic - or empathic - types of attacks on our personnel. Not in a physical sense where they cause harm, but more that they dredge up suicidal tendencies. We saw this in Ensign Masterman and her releasing herself through the airlock... we've also seen it in the Mac's log recordings. Fear seems to be what they feed on, or perhaps they just wish to bring sorrow to others for their own loss... I don't know. I am not sure how my analysis helps in finding a solution, but I will continue to collate data."

"Very well, Mr. Marshal," Stonn replied, not mentioning his own experience in the lower decks. When he was in contact with them, he felt clearly as if the beings wanted something... finding out what that was would be the key to finding a solution.

"Ten minutes," he thought.

For a moment, Stonn let down his mental defenses and reached out into the blackness with his mind, hoping that something - someone - would answer. As he did, for a moment, he found himself experiencing trepidation, perhaps even fear. It was a fascinating sensation.

[tomcat]

The Vulcan's preternatural psionic ability allowed them to do amazing things, at least when viewed by humans, but for them it was as natural as having a conversation. It was a conduit to emotions, memories, and secrets. It shared happiness and pain, courage and fear. The challenge for each psion was to be able to open another's mind to wade through this mire of mental energy, all the while protecting their own thoughts and identity from those to whom they linked.

Stonn, sitting in his command chair, reached out with his mind, ignoring all those that surrounded him, but probing as if in a dark room to see what he might touch. He had his defenses in place should the something that he found be unfriendly. The bridge faded around him and Stonn saw his astral projected form now standing in front of the darkened silhouette of himself in his chair. He turned and walked forward. His mind, understanding the tangible world, began to form normal patterns from the psionic nothingness that surrounded him. He heard his footsteps echo as he walked and the flowing emotions around him took on a form of mist about his legs. His logical mind began to find it all very curious and he wondered if this astral reality was truly all of his own creation.

And then she was there. A young woman of human physiognomy. Her form was clear but there was an inner light that defined her shape. Though the illumination was consistant throughout, still Stonn had the impression that her hair was long and brown, and her eyes a faded green. She smiled. "They are here, you know. Others come. We must go. We will return if there are any that need us."

When she had spoken, Stonn felt an almost crippling sensation of joy. Maybe it was his Vulcan nature to control his emotions, and so having not felt it in so long, it almost brought him to tears. He fought within his astral form, and thus within his physical mind to control himself.

It was like nothing he had ever felt. There was no fear. No envy. No hatred. No greed. No desire beyond the very desire to live and enjoy all those other living things.

On the bridge, Grahm watched the track continue to press in on the Columbia's position. The contact was making a high-speed run even with the presence of the asteroid belt. Whoever they were, they were either very good, or very stupid. He turned to comment to Stonn and saw the Vulcan in his chair, his hands laced together but with his index fingers steepled on which his brow was rested. Stonn's eyes were closed and seemed to be in deep thought. The tactical officer sighed and decided it best to wait until his captain's attention had returned.

On his console, Downer watched as the energy fluctuations that seemed to dance about the two Federation starships all began a course away, back towards the red giant KC01.



Need Stonn to make a TN 12 Willpower test to avoid his physical form from reacting to the emotional contact.

[donimator]

Downer continued to monitor the power on the ship's systems. Before reporting the status of the entities (and report to who? they seemed the least of the worries now), he wanted to see if their departure returned normal functions to the ship. He kept the routines they had running in place as a contingency plan.

[sdrotar]

Stonn Willpower Test (TN 12)
Willpower +5, Unyielding edge +2, Command Presence ability allows 3 dice, keeping the highest two.

Roll(3d6)+7:4,1,3,+7Total:15
Subtract the rolled 1 for a total of 14 - SUCCESS

Stonn snapped back to his senses, but sat upright in his chair bit more quickly than he intended. The sensation he felt was overwhelming, and completely different than the one he experienced down below decks. It seemed as if there were two forces at work; one, a benevolent species that sought to - what ? - save the dying somehow? Perhaps the being that spoke through the corpse on the Merrimac, as Sorek reported, was entirely truthful. Yet, there was clearly another species on board - the one that the woman referred to; the ones that he encountered - terrifying, clawing things that could cause despair and even suicide.

Or was it something else? Had they stumbled upon some sort of civil war between factions of a non-corporeal life form that was beyond their reckoning?

The answer was getting closer, and the captain planned to share his experiences with the staff. But first, they had to hold off the Orions.

"Status of returning shuttle," he asked to no one in particular. "All hands to battle stations, and prepare the bay for a combat landing if necessary.
"Go to Red Alert."

[tomcat]

Time seemed to pass slowly and the wait for the Galileo was nerve racking, but at last the small shuttle was grabbed by the hangar bay tractor beams and brought into the Columbia. On the bridge, a voice called over the intercom, "Bridge, Galileo 027 is secured."

Grahm spoke from Stonn's left, "Captain, we have visual on the incoming vessel."

The structure of the ship was foreign to any Federation design, and she was small - smaller than the Columbia. Still, the records showed that the Orions possessed powerful armament, and the data showed that she was fast. She could be a greater challenge than any expected. Grahm tapped his subordinate on the shoulder and slid into the vacated chair. He pressed the controls to bring weapons to bear and to be ready at his call.

The Orion ship was distant but closing fast. She was well outside of the gravimetric and radiation effects of the Katyon Cluster. The Columbia, on the other hand, was not so fortunate and her disavantageous position was another challenge stacked against her. The Orions could attack from a distance and use the Cluster's affects to disable the Federation vessel.

"Captain," Grahm said calmly. "We need to move."

[donimator]

With the recovery mission complete, Downer focused his attention to the tactical. He checked his ongoing scans to determine if the threat to the ship's systems was still a concern. The Captain may be calling on the ship's resources very soon and Downer would have to have the answer for how much was available. He had hoped the internal threats disappeared with the external energy sources, but they were hard buggers to track.

[BrianM]

The lift door slid open and Doc Sherman entered the bridge. From a corner near the door, out of the way of the bustling activity, he began scanning each crew member, looking for anything anomalous that might indicate the possibility of some sort of external influence at work. He started with the Captain.