RPG.avioc.org

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:ooc: I'll need everyone's tests please... (this table is everywhere, but it is just easier to re-paste it than look through multiple threads)

   
• Helm/Navigation tests: TN 20 to plot course in asteroid/planetoid field
• Helm/Navigation tests: TN 10 to plot course in clear space
• Sensor tests: TN 10 to get proper navigational readings; other test TN's will be determined by table 7.2 on page 102 in the NG
• Deflector tests: TN 10 to keep shields from taking damage from radiation

	Helm /				Shield
Distance	Navigation	Sensors	Deflectors	Damage	Strength
Extended	+0 TN	+0 TN	+0 TN	0	-0
Long	+3 TN	+2 TN	+3 TN	0	-0
Medium	+5 TN	+4 TN	+6 TN	1	-1
Short	+7 TN	+6 TN	+9 TN	3	-2
Point Blank	+9 TN	+8 TN	+12 TN	5	-3

Narrator will determine when a new proximity band is entered.

Grahm's deflector test #3
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 10 Cluster Mod +6 = 16 Sys Ops +13, Specialty +2, Columbia mod +3 = +18
-------------------------
Roll(2d6)+18: 2,6,+18 Total:26 SUCCESS

Anderson's navigation test #3
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 20 Cluster Mod +5 = 25 Sys Ops +11, Specialty +2 = +13
-------------------------
Roll(2d6)+13: 2,4,+13 Total:19 [Anderson will take the +1 Command bonus that Stonn extends plus spend 2 Courage] = 26 SUCCESS

Stonn watched with interest; his mind absorbing all the data circulating around him in search of any possible patterns. The crew was operating efficiently, and he would allow them to do their jobs without any interference from him for as long as possible.

He had but one request.
"Mr. Downer, please keep the open channel to the Merrimac boarding party on speaker."

Sorek looked at the science console intrigued by the fact that the ship that had been missing seemed intact and in logically working order.  He punched in a few commands on the console then began reading through the information that came up.  He figured logically that if the Merrimac's crew were aboard her, they would have attempted to communicate with the ship once more, however he also realized that the previous communication was in poor condition.

He decided to run a scan of the Merrimac as best as he could to determine if any life signs were indeed showing on the vessel.  He knew that chances were while being in the cluster that the readings wouldn't be accurate enough but it might help to provide Stonn with a better reasoning of who he might send over as a landing party.

:ooc: Alright I guess this would be two seperate rolls...but if not then ignore the second roll.  Also I can't seem to find my Star Trek books for some reason(my brother may have taken them to work to look through)so I have no idea what modifiers aside from those posted to add to the roll(s).
Sensors Test 1
System Operation(Sensors) 
Roll(2d6)+8:6,2,+8 Total:16
Sensors Test 2(If need be)
System Operation(Sensors)
Roll(2d6)+8:4,5,+8 Total:17

 
         Pushkin brings the Columbia into the small system, maneuvering in the direction of the lost Federation starship.  He eyes the asteroid ring and takes the ship in, banking around the large pieces of rock.  As they approach the Merrimac,  He looks up and grimaces painfully at the damaged ship. "The poor girl has been through a lot." He mumbles under his breath before moving to bring them in.

          He looks to the controls, knowing the others would be ready on the deflector as well to push the rocks away.   At least maybe in this little system,  they might have more protection from the radiation....hopefully. 

  Pushkin's helm test #3
  TN 20 +5 Cluster Mod = 25 Sys Ops +13, Specialty +2, Columbia mod +1 = +16
  Roll(2d6)+16: 3,5,+16 Total:24

Observing the damage as the Columbia closed within range of the crippled Merrimac, Stonn found himself stifling an instinct to peer into his old viewer at the science station. Of course, that was Sorek's now...

"Mr. Sorek, please scan the Merrimac for damage consistent with weapons fire," Stonn asked. It seemed logical to ascertain any potential danger to the Columbia first and foremost. "If there is none, then please try to identify the primary cause of the damage; whether by collision, internal malfunction or even possible close exposure to radiation."

:ooc: Well just got home from being out of town for unexpected family reasons...will try to get a post up later tonight or after I get some sleep.  I'll just edit this post if it's still here when I make the post...and/or replay to the thread once more.

Sorek loooked over the readings coming up on his screens and analyzed them going through the logical possiibilities he merely took a deep breath before turning to look at the captain.  "Sir it would appear that the damages to the ship have occured due to a space anamoly...as it would be most illogical for any ship to attack the Merrimac and rupture the hull as has been done.  Sensors show there are biological matter readings on board but none seems to be alive."  He turned his attention back to the screen and then continued.

"It would appear that the primary hull of the ship is merely damaged with what could be collisions with debris, although I wouldn't rule out the possibilty of weapon scarring on her.  While the remainder of the hull is open to the vacuum of space, the ship still has working power to life support and other basic systems.  She is also been rendered immobile  There is also an unidentfied and unclassified anomoly of an energy source and physical mattter in the secondary hull.  I would advise extreme caution to the away team."

:ooc: Not entirely sure if this is the information Stonn is wanting, but it's the information Tomcat gave me about my sensor reading of the Merrimac.  Also let me know if Sorek is supposed to be on the away team and I'll edit this post to reflect him getting someone else to run the science officer spot while he is gone and then heading for the tranports bay.

:ooc: Nice post, Rictor! Just so you know, the data I gave you was from your previous post that you had made that included the two sensor rolls. I only needed the one successful roll for you to ascertain the information given.

If Stonn wants/needs anything else, give me more dialogue and another roll and we'll see what comes up. Remember to apply the Dice roll modifiers from the Katyon table - I know the numbers are TN increase modifiers, but they can be applied in the inverse by taking a negative to your roll... the net result would be the same.

Quote from: Rictor on Apr 02, 2010, 06:38 AM
There is also an unidentified and unclassified anomaly of an energy source and physical matter in the secondary hull.  I would advise extreme caution to the away team."

Stonn considered this latter part of Sorek's report; it was the most troubling. Certainly, navigating the Cluster was difficult and a devastating collision was a likely reason for the Merrimac's condition, but an unidentified energy source was not likely to occur naturally.

"Mr. Sorek, please focus all scans on the energy source and surrounding matter. We must determine its origin and if it poses any danger to our boarding party - or to the Columbia - as soon as possible."

"Mr. Downer, please contact Lt. Phillips and Dr. Sherman. Inform them that initial scans show no signs of survivors at this point, but to continue the search with caution."

"Someone sent the distress call," Stonn thought. "Or something."

Grahm lifted his head up from his console to examine the Merrimac as it hung silently on the screen. Both its port and starboard running lights still shone but the her ship insignia and name lay in darkness. Grahm could even see view portals still alight from the internal systems. He had a quick shiver as he thought about the interior of the vessel, normally kept comfortable by the computer core and environmental systems, now empty and unable to sustain life. The Merrimac's gravity still functioned as well, so all would be in place as the crew had left it prior to the attack or impact of whatever destroyed her. The auxilliary power reactor on Federation vessels had enough nuclear fuel to operate for roughly 100 years. The reactor could never bring the ship to supra-luminal speeds, and thus the ship would never leave this place, but had the hull remained intact people could have survived.

"Not with the radiation," Grahm thought to himself. "The APR would not be able to create enough power to reinforce the shield grid..."

The thought made Grahm shake his head, and then turn to Sorek. "Mr. Sorek... what about radiation! We are about to beam 18 people into that vessel and there is no operational shield grid to fend off the killing radiation!"

Across the bridge, Mr. Downer received message, "Transporter room 1 to bridge. Security team 1 is ready to beam."

"Captain. Chief Ramos has concerns about the fluctuating radiation and maintaing a transporter lock. He recommends using a shuttle instead, sir."

Downer continues his ongoing scans of the Cluster and the Merrimac for continued or further transmissions. He checks the status of the initial broadcast to see if the computer has been able to isolate a bearing and distance yet.

:ooc: Downer is unable to isolate the exact location of the signal, other than the giant red star and the Merrimac that lays in a direct path to it.

Quote from: donimator on Apr 03, 2010, 02:17 AM
"Captain. Chief Ramos has concerns about the fluctuating radiation and maintaing a transporter lock. He recommends using a shuttle instead, sir."

Downer continues his ongoing scans of the Cluster and the Merrimac for continued or further transmissions. He checks the status of the initial broadcast to see if the computer has been able to isolate a bearing and distance yet.

Stonn considered both this and Grahm's concerns. "Mr. Downer, please tell the transporter room to await further instruction before beaming. Mr. Sorek, can we ascertain if our people will be safe from radiation once on board the Merrimac?"

Sorek returned to his console and without sitting down he leaned over enough to look over the readings of the ship trying to not only determine what caused the damages as was asked earlier.  He also attempted to determine how much radiation was on the Merrimac and what affect it would have on an away team.

:ooc:  Alright trying to determine what caused the damages to the ship...whether it be an attack or an object(s) merely hitting it.  Also wanting to try and find out if the radiation will be a problem and what precautions would be needed if any to deal with it.
Um since I don't recall you saying which of the modifiers we're using at this point in the game I'll go with the same range modifiers as others seem to be using, if this is incorrect sorry.
Sorek's Sensor Test #3:
TN 10(+5 for Cluster Modification...Total TN 15)
Roll Modifiers(8 from System Ops + 2 from Sensor Spec...not sure what else if anything is t be added)
Roll(2d6)+10: 3,6,+10 Total:19

:ooc: Rictor, you got it right. The Columbia and the Merrimac are at Medium range to the cluster and you put the TN together perfect. I am going to give the results to your post in narrative.

I also want to mention - you guys might have seen that your posts have been moved. I really want you guys to post in the part of the ship that you are in, even your communications to other departments. I know it seems trivial but I am trying to relay a feeling of being in different parts of the ship, but also I don't want to get confusion when one player thinks a PC is there who isn't. If you want to copy/paste your communication transmissions in the target board, that is fine, but just paste the communication... not the rest of your narrative.

Any questions, give me a shout!  ;D

---

The data from the Merrimac's damage was already spooling up Sorek's console when Stonn asked about the radiation. The Columbia's sensors had scanned the primary and secondary hulls and was detecting carbon scoring on the surface of the vessel. There was damage to the hull that definitely had come from physical impacts - most likely of asteroids - but there was also evidence of energy weapons striking the Merrimac. What Sorek could not determine was what had caused what. Did the Merrimac get attacked and then the attackers left her to slowly be drawn into the cluster's gravitational well? Or was it one of the giant floating rocks that disabled her and then left her easy prey to the pirates that prowled this sector, close to Orion space? The thought brought back a bullet of data that Downer had recovered regarding the Merrimac and her current mission, and how she had participated in the corraling of a number of pirates.

While the half-vulcan's mind worked on this conundrum, he looked back to his console to determine the radiation situation. Sorek raised an eyebrow and then ran the test again. The result was the same. He then took measure of the readings he was getting and attempted to place the focus. Running the scan one last time to confirm the results, Sorek was satisfied. The Merrimac was free of radiation. It seemed the ship was sitting in a bubble of energy that dispersed the multiple wavelengths, emanating from the stars, away from the vessel. The bubble was only as wide as the primary and secondary hulls, and it apparently originated from the strange reading that was picked up in the initial scan.

Still unaware of Sorek's findings, Grahm was pondering over Ramos' cancellation of the transporter use. He walked over to Stonn, "Captain, the Aladdin-class shuttle on board should have enough shielding to protect the passengers that make the transit. It is a warp-capable craft and the unnecessary warp power could be diverted to reinforce its shields."

Sorek turned back to look at Stonn before looking at the image of the Merrimac on screen.  Once he was satisfied that however illogical his conclusion was it had to indeed be the truth.  He looked more directly at Stonn and raised an eyebrow once more.  "Captain it would seem that the damages to the Merrimac have been caused by collisions of some sort, most likely caused by asteroids...as well as some weapons firing.  Though I can't be certain at this time which happened first, if I determine that I'll let you know."

He then turned back and looked at the readings one final time trying to ensure that the anamoly was indeed making things safe he continued.  "It would also appear that the anamoly seems to be somehow shielding the Merrimac from radiation, so there should be no danger from radiation to the team sent over to investigate."

:ooc: Out of curiosity who exactly is supposed to be going over to the Merrimac as an away team...as at times it seems like Sorek is supposed to yet at other times it seems like he's not.

:ooc: Hee hee hee... I have been waiting to know who is going over myself. Grahm wants a piece of the action!  ;D

Then again, I like having my finger on the ship's phasers and photorps, so we shall see!

:ooc: I am waiting on the PC decisions here, so tell me if you are unclear on anything and need me to give new narrative.

 :ooc: I'm assuming that the boarding party has some sort of radiation suit at their disposal that they could store on the shuttle in case the readings change...

"Mr. Sorek, in light of the peculiarities we've encountered thus far on the Merrimac, I want you to take command of the rescue party," Stonn said. "Assist Dr. Sherman in recovering any survivors if possible, but otherwise, please observe these anomalies personally. If you require additional science personnel, have them report to you on the hangar deck."

Stonn thumbed a toggle on his chair and spoke directly to the transporter room, while patching in Engineering. "This is the captain. Chief Engineer Ramos' concerns are noted and Science concurs. Though scans show that radiation is not a concern on the Merrimac presently, the rescue party is ordered to report to Science Officer Sorek on the hangar deck, where a shuttle is being prepared. Emergency radiation suits will be stored onboard in case the situation changes. This is a rescue mission, but caution is advised, and Medical personnel are to be accompanied by Security officers when possible. Keep an open channel to the Columbia at all times and report back with anything deemed... unusual. Captain out."

He turned to Grahm. "Maintain Yellow Alert until we know exactly what transpired here. The safety of our rescue party is our top priority."

"Aye, sir," was Grahm's response. Behind him, Sorek stood and walked from the bridge.

The tactical officer checked his console to assure there was no dangers, and then set about the next task at hand. All Federation vessels were configured with a prefix code that allowed one ship in the fleet to override the command controls of another. Looking at the Merrimac in the viewscreen and seeing the presence of power still flowing throughout, John made the assumption that the ship's computer core still had to be in operation. It was the mind of every vessel, whereas the warp core was the heart. If there was enough autonomy still functioning with the Merrimac, then the prefix code would allow the Columbia to take semi-control of any of her still-operating systems.

Grahm brought up the Starfleet database of all ships, tapped the screen for the Constitution-class, and then selected the Merrimac's registry. He typed the word p-r-e-f-i-x-c-o-d-e, and a numeric override came up. He looked over his shoulder, "Dylan... sending you the Merrimac's prefix code. Transmit it and see what we are able to bring up on controls. We'll need that shuttle bay hangar door opened first."

Sorek looked over his shoulder briefly at Stonn then the view screen at the Merrimac, he then turned back to his console and activated the com portion of it.  "Lieutenant Marshal, report to the bridge to take over temporary duties as science officer.  Crewmen T'Plek, Howard and Jemmison report to the hangerbay to assist with an away team mission."  Without awaiting a response he moved over to stand near Stonn's chair, he clasped hsi hands behind his back and looked at Stonn.

"Captain, I assume my choice of temporary replacement for my position is logical, if there is nothing else required of me on the bridge I'll go meet the rest of the away team and make sure the preperations are in order."  He looked back at the view screen awaiting a response...after it was recieved he nodded slightly and turned making his way off the bridge to obtain the equipment he would need.

:ooc:  I assume the names of the chosen personnel are fine...I was thinking of the two new names both being human...or near-human.  As for equipment I assume I can obtain a phaser pistol(just in case), a tricorder and of course a communicator(assuming the ones being used are the hand held ones).

Stonn nodded in agreement with Sorek and watched as the Science Officer departed the bridge.
"Mr. Downer," he said, "please request that Mr. Sorek's duty replacement report to the bridge immediately."

Quote from: Rictor on Apr 12, 2010, 10:03 AM:ooc:  I assume the names of the chosen personnel are fine...I was thinking of the two new names both being human...or near-human.  As for equipment I assume I can obtain a phaser pistol(just in case), a tricorder and of course a communicator(assuming the ones being used are the hand held ones).

:ooc: All standard equipment will be issued to each landing party member based on department. You will have a personal handheld communicator, as well as the one built into your EVA.

As far as the names go... perfect! Feel free to add as much dimension to them as you'd like.  

 :ooc: Alright, wasn't sure what equipment I would have access to.  As far as adding more deminsion to the characters...who knows it might happen through role-play during the course of the game.

 :ooc: Edit - All these 'D' names  ;D

Downer received the prefix code and sent it on a Starfleet secure burst channel. If anything was awake over there, it should respond. He awaited a response to send to the Captain for executive authorization.

Downer relayed the order to Lt. Marshall (Marshall...Marshalll...why did that name seem familiar?). He continued to monitor comms and ran some checks to make sure the radiation levels would not cut communications with the away team. A glance over the ship systems showed everything in the green. He logged the results of the Level 4 diagnostic and began to review the report (not the summary of course, the raw data always told the whole picture).

:ooc: Oops! I made an error in character names. Grahm had sent the prefix code to Dylan, not to Devon... thus the wierd pause here.

Sorry about that! Devon Phillips will have no way of controlling the Merrimac from the shuttle, so I have changed my post above and will wait for in character replies.

U.S.S. Merrimac NCC-1715
Constitution-class Starship...

SENSORS:
lateral... 38% functionality
navigational... offline
long range... offline

WEAPONS:
phasers... offline
photorps... offline

PROPULSION/POWER:
warp... offline
impulse... 2%
apr... 78%

SHIELDS:
grid... offline

ENVIRONMENTAL:                                                                     
gravity... online
life support... online - multiple hull breach

OPERATIONS:
transporters... 36%
hangar... 75%
sickbay... offline


Downer scanned the report for completeness and summarized it for the Captain, "Captain. The Merrimac has three-quarters auxillary power and just a touch of impulse engine ability. Warp core is offline as are most sensors and weapons. Life support is operational but multiple breaches are reported.  Artificial gravity is active. The hangar is functional and transporters are operating at a third of capacity."

As he was giving his report, Downer transmitted the status report to the shuttle. He also tried to access the Merrimac's logs to see when and what was contained in the last entries.

Computer Use Check?
Computer Use (retrieval), +8, +2 spec.
Roll 2d6+10 = 5,4 +10 = 19 (+Courage if I'm close)

:ooc: No Courage necessary Don, that roll was just fine. The only thing a higher score would do is increase the data transfer rate.

---

Downer efficiently tapped into the Merrimac's log journal and found the data non-corrupted and the last entry dating back to almost one Earth year ago. The Ops officer saw the long list of logs from every department and decided that he would filter the data and look at the Merrimac's captain's and first officer logs only. They would have been the most pertinent in recording what had happened to the ship. Dylan also figured the last log entry made would contain the proverbial smoking gun.

He tapped his screen, selecting the last entry, and the right-side upper quarter of his console displayed a video screen. On the screen a young, blonde woman in what was probably her mid-30's sat in the captain's chair.

QuoteCaptain's log, stardate 8067.7
Lt. Commander Blair Jones acting captain, as both Captain Morrison and First Officer Kravitz are both dead.

It is now day 22 of the appearance of the object within the Merrimac's secondary hull atrium, and no matter what we do, we can't stop... [screeeccchh!].... [sqqqqwwwaacckk!]... aking the crew members. The ship's living crew now number 33 and sooner or later the atmosphere will finish bleeding out and there will be nowhere left on the ship to keep us alive. All attempts to transmit emergency calls have failed - whether from interference with the object, or due to the Katyon Clusters immense radiation. ... [screeeccchh!].... [sqqqqwwwaacckk!]... ssssssaaaaaavvvve uuuuusssss ... [screeeccchh!].... [sqqqqwwwaacckk!]... only say that. The medical staff are all gone, so there is no one else to try and figure out why the ship's remaining crew are dying. We still have air, and for whatever reason, the Merrimac is being shielded from the radiation by that thing. As I said earlier, all attempts to communicate with the alien object have failed... yet still it draws us.

This may be my last entry... we are moving down into the secondary hull where there is still pockets of the ship not exposed to the vaccuum of space. Jones out.

Downer had listened to the whole log via his earpiece, all the while staring at the sad, scared woman's face. When it ended he felt cold. It had been her last entry, along with the ship's.

He looked at the list of the next few log entries that preceded the one he had just watched and knew that this was not going to be a pleasant task.

---

:ooc: More log entries to come, I just want to post in the shuttle thread and then head home for the night... so be back here later tonight!  ;D

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.

---

:ooc: 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.

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

     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.   

Quote from: seppun1He looks surprise as the shuttle lands roughly upon the Mac's flight deck.

:ooc: 'Mac' ... I like the nickname for the Merrimac.  ;)

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  ;D

***

"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.

"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."

:ooc:

Grahm's perception test
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 14 Perception +2
-------------------------
Roll(2d6)+2: 1,4,+2 Total:7 FAILED

Pushkin's perception test
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 14 Perception +1
-------------------------
Roll(2d6)+1: 6,1,+1 Total:8 FAILED

"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.

"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.

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.

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.

QuoteCaptain'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.

QuoteCaptain'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...

QuoteCaptain'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??

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.

QuoteFlash 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

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.

:ooc: 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."

Quote from: tomcat on May 26, 2010, 01:38 PM
:ooc: 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.  ':}

:ooc: 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.

Quote from: tomcat on May 26, 2010, 01:38 PMGrahm 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?"

After the passage of some minutes, Sorek's voice was heard. "Captain Stonn, we have found the first of the crew of the Merrimac. Also, it may be that Mr. Phillips has had the first experience with our unknown."

"Very well. Proceed with extreme caution," Stonn replied. "Whether it was intentional or not, it is entirely possible that the entity caused the deaths of the Merrimac's crew. Act accordingly and keep an open channel."

"Undertood, Captain," was the short reply.

Stonn thought about the irony involved in his situation.
In the ship's last two assignments - his final ones as science officer - the Columbia's mission ended up being more or less military. But now, when there was real science to be performed, here he was in command.

It was truly impossible to predict the path of universe, he thought.

He resisted the temptation to board a shuttle and fly over to the Merrimac himself, but it was becoming more difficult to do so as the alien's call across space beckoned him.

:ooc: Never stopped ole Kirk from beaming down, getting his shirt torn open, a little blood in the corner of his mouth, and the babe. You can't deny Stonn that, not even due to the fact he is Vulcan.

Downer continued to monitor the ship and parse logs. The frantic activity on the Merrimac  had settled somewhat and little could be done until reports filtered back in. He began to ponder the nature of this alien 'presence' from what he had found out so far. The object seemed to manipulate radiation in some way. Most of their active scans involved radiation on different wavelength bands. Perhaps they too were manipulated and this thing was hiding in plain sight.

He didn't have the background to set it up himself and wished dearly that Sorek was still manning the science station. He sent a message to the replacement science officer with his assumptions. Perhaps a more passive type of scan, looking for anomalies in the scan itself or the information it returned would be more telling then the physical instrument readings.

The radio messages. The haunting logs. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was still out there.

:ooc: Hey Don, so that you know how I work departments in the Trek game... I leave all rolls and RP'ing to the player that heads that department. Hence, you play Sorek so you control all NPC's within that department. This being said, I will speak for them and let you know what they determine, but for rolls or for basic communicating, it is all you. Your staff get a dice modifier equal to your PC / 2 for any relative skill check.

Now, for what Downer is considering will require an extended test for the Columbia's sensors to do deep scans. Here is what I need for rolls:

Sys Ops [Sensors] TN 100
-Each test will take 4 hours of study time (decreased by the DOS result) and each roll must achieve at least a 10, otherwise the time spent was non-productive.
-A disastrous failure will cause all data to be corrupt with 'false reads' and the entire extended test must be started over.
-You may roll ALL test rolls now to determine how long it will take the Columbia's science teams to come up with any results.
-Understand, I will have some hidden elements on the test results that I am looking for to see if the time spent really does come up with something. What this means is, even though the science teams are working overtime to achieve a goal, there will still need to be a hidden element to the test so that it is not just a matter of you rolling the dice to see how many hours need to pass for me to tell you if there is something there or not.  ;) (Am I making sense here?)
-Ship resources will also play into this test. If the Columbia is hard put by a new threat, it will pull resources from this study and may extend the duration.
-Finally, I may come up with a better idea as I sit and give it some thought, while my wife and I watch some TV and enjoy a bowl of ice cream... until then, have fun!  ;D

 :ooc: Think I got it. Assumptions - still at extended range (no bonus from Columbia Sensors, no interference on Sensors from Cluster) and replacement officer would act at +5 to Sys Ops (Sensors) roll (Sorek +8, +2 specialty). If I'm on track, I'll throw out the first five extended test rolls to see where it stands.

Lt. Marshal was the natural replacement for Sorek and Downer hoped he was up for the task - both in competence and in time-management. Everyone on the bridge was stretched to accomplish their objectives and he felt bad about loading extra work onto another discpline, but had learned to follow hunches. He received the acknowledgement from Marshal that he would initiate and run the scan as time allowed.

Science Officer, Lt. Marshal Sys Ops (Sensors) extended test. TN 100
Sorek, Sys Ops +8, Specialty +2 = +10
Halved for subordinate's actions = +5

Extended test - continued
Previous results - 1 failure, 1 marginal success, 3 complete successes.
Tally of results of successes = 50
TN Remaining = 50

Lt. Marshal (or his relief) continue with the test:

TN tally = 97


:ooc:Hopefully this wraps it up. Future action may overlap with the completion of this scan so you can throw out any results (or partials) as you see fit.

actually, in case I blow that last roll here's one more just in case:

:ooc: Okay, based on the results and looking on the DOS chart, it will take a total of 37 hours before the science staff is able to begin to generate any information from their study to see if Downer is on the right track here. All of this work can, and will be going on in the background of our story and it can be subject of posts, if you'd like. If the Columbia is drawn into any major excursion within the next 37 hours, resources for these studies might become strained and lengthen the amount of time. I will let you know the time lapse as our story goes on.

We'll see what happens.  ;)

---

The science station behind Stonn became more active as Marshal began to draw resources from the ship's data collection. The lateral and long-range sensors were tasked with scanning the stars within the cluster, drawing as much data from the bandwidths of light, heat, gravitic effects, and magnetic influence. On deck 7, the forward labs of the Columbia began to evaluate the collated information and run theories. Communications via computer console went from the scientists up to the bridge so that Marshal could give the captain any details as they were revealed.

Sorek was not the only one who had heard Phillips' transmission regarding a potential environment within the Merrimac's botanical atrium. The bridge crew of the Columbia had also heard Phillips, which caused the perfunctory eyebrow raise of the Vulcan sitting in the command chair.

Grahm knew that Marshal was busy at the science station and so ran a scan of his own. He called out, "Downer, since you are tied in with the Mac, tell me if the ship has power routed to botanical. I want to know if the power is coming from the ship's APR, or if something else is generating it."

Downer's fingers moved easily over his controls and brought up the Mac's power grid and how it was being routed. Unfortunately, the data was unclear... the Merrimac's still operating computer core was reporting garbled information.

Downer responded to the request from Cmdr. Grahm and saw the incomplete information. 'What the...' he thought to himself, and quickly checked again. He drummed his fingers a moment on the datascreen and rechecked his other connections to the computer. Nothing seemed to have changed. The connection was still there. The log info was still accessible. Grahm was waiting for a response.

"Power routing is unavailable, sir. I can connect to the subsystem, but it is not returning readable information. I'll try routing through some other paths...Maybe they could establish a remote link for us from a panel on the Merrimac? Might be a back door into the system."

Downer added the problem of the power display to his queue of ongoing tasks.

:ooc: Hey Don, and everyone else for that matter, I just want to let you know that you are welcome to give me rolls for tests for the work you are doing, but unless I request a particular test, it just means that the jobs you are doing are routine based on the level of technology. In other words, connecting to the Mac's computer via netlink is child's play with the aid of your knowledge and the massive Columbia computer core at your beck and call.

So do not hesitate to dialogue/narrative the things you are doing (as you have been) and making the assumptions that it is working. I will let you guys know when/if it isn't or it requires a dice roll.

I clarify this only because this is a dice game sometimes, and I don't want you to think that I don't have my eye on that ball.  ;)

 :ooc:  Thanks Doug, that's pretty much what I thought. Specifically with the remote link, it wasn't a question of if it was possible, but if Downer would have the authority to request one and pull resources from the myriad of other tasks on the Merrimac to accomplish it. I thought it would be more of a command decision if that potential intel became a priority over other operations. Also, you have it clear in your mind what the nature of this interference in transmitting the data is. I wanted to leave it totally up to you if a remote link from a secondary panel would bypass this or return the same result.

:ooc: You're welcome, Don. It relieves some of the minutia of gaming via PbP doing it this way, although if we were all sitting around a table, I might be more regimental on giving me dice rolls. But I like how stories evolve in PbP when all the players give me their creativity like you guys do!  ;)

And to answer your question regarding the results of the remote link from a secondary panel, yes, I will give you that with my next in game post. Which should be very soon...

I am getting concerned with the number of players that are showing up daily, but no one is posting. Not that I won't carry on this game - Shawn, Matt and I did the entire previous campaign just the three of us, but I don't want to take over characters if players are showing up. I also do not want to hold the games up so that people think things are idle and no longer come visit.

Anyway, we shall chalk it up to summer and the many activities that come with it.

Stonn listened intently over the open channel for Phillips' reply. With the news - as yet unconfirmed - of an unreadable but nevertheless existing environment in the botany section, the situation on the Merrimac was in flux. Stonn preferred order, but appreciated the challenges and opportunities for discovery that often arose from the unknown.

As long as those opportunities didn't get any of the Columbia's officers killed.

While any breathable environment meant that a search for survivors was necessary, Stonn suspected there would be none. The voice in the darkness was there... he could feel it.

"Mr. Downer," he asked, "please inform all boarding party personnel that no one is to enter the botany section without my express order. Have Security form an perimeter first, and have both Science and Medical personnel complete comprehensive sweeps and report back with their findings as soon as possible."

He paused. "And find Lt. Phillips."

:ooc: Count me in for the long haul. The madness at work (first layoffs, and now the NBA and NHL playoffs, plus their respective drafts are finally over) has subsided, and I can fully engage here once more. My sincere apologies for my sporadic posts over the last six weeks.

:ooc: As always Shawn, life comes first.

I am just glad after 7 years now, you still keep coming back!  ;D ;)

Posts to come shortly.

Quote from: tomcat on Jul 06, 2010, 10:59 AM
:ooc: As always Shawn, life comes first.

I am just glad after 7 years now, you still keep coming back!  ;D ;)

Posts to come shortly.

:ooc: Always! Just wish we'd hire more people at work instead of having me on shift for every waking hour. By the time I get off work, just seeing a keyboard makes me nauseous.  (-D

Quote from: sdrotar on Jul 06, 2010, 10:26 AM
"Mr. Downer," he asked, "please inform all boarding party personnel that no one is to enter the botany section without my express order. Have Security form an perimeter first, and have both Science and Medical personnel complete comprehensive sweeps and report back with their findings as soon as possible."

He paused. "And find Lt. Phillips."

"Aye, sir." Downer transmitted the message to Lt. Cmdr. Sorek and relayed his acknowledgement.

Stonn resisted the urge to commandeer a shuttle and take it to the Merrimac so he could investigate things himself. He was captain now, and such a course of action was not prudent at this juncture.

Certainly, to his mind, some things were clear:
First, there was an alien presence aboard the ship. The mind that touched his own left no doubt of this to Stonn.
Second, the alien almost certainly was residing in the botany section and directly or indirectly, caused the deaths of Merrimac's crew.

Logically, the course of action seemed clear to him; seal off the botany section and determine how the alien interfered with the ship. Then, prevent that from happening again. Next, communication with the alien was a priority. Where did it come from? How did it come aboard the ship? And how did it cause the disaster aboard the Merrimac?

After these questions were answered, Stonn was confident that he would know how to proceed. The crew was capable of completing this task; at this point, he need only monitor the situation and guide them through any difficulties where he could.

But most importantly, he needed to keep his mind open - if the alien were to contact him again, he wanted to be ready to see if the communication could be returned.

He turned to Mr. Downer. "Status of the boarding parties?"

Downer posted a schematic of the Merrimac to the upper corner of the main viewscreen. Coloured dots marked the location of the various away team sections as the Columbia maintained a lock on their communicators. Activity was clustered around the hangar bay and the corridors immediately adjacent to it. There were no traces of the red dots that would denote the security team's progress towards the botanical enclosure.

"Hangar bay is secured, sir. Engineering is satisfied with the structural integirty of the ship and believe some power can be restored. Medical has shuttled our injured back to the Columbia and are assessing the Merrimac's personnel for clues as to their deaths. Science team has reported no dangerous energy levels either from the ship or the cluster. Lt Phillips and part of the security team are still unaccounted for."

Downer kept it short and to the point. The Captain seemed preoccupied, but that was something to add low on his list of priorities...

• keep ship power fluctuations in check as the cluster taxed the shielding
• compensate for cluster interference on comms to maintain locks on away team
• continue to parse through Merrimac logs for hints or clues as to what happened to the ship
• ...

:ooc: I need Downer to make an Observe (See) test TN 20

Here is Grahm's...

(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 20 Observe +7, Specialty +2
-------------------------

Downer sat at his station engrossed in his work. A flit of light, a flicker in his peripheral caused him to pause. Nothing? "I really should put more effort into noticing what goes on around me," he thought to himself.

Downer's pathetic Observe roll
TN 20 Observe +2


:ooc: unless 6's show that's the best he can do

Downer patched Sorek's communication through to the Captain:

Quote"Captain Stonn. We have lost contact with Lt. Phillips. We are advancing in force to secure the botanical atrium...and to try and locate Phillips."

Marshal's console reacted first. The science officer was evaluating current radiation reports that had come from the physics labs in the forward areas of the Columbia's main saucer. He watched as the radiation levels fluctuated with the pulsations of KC1, and watched as theoretical effects were applied derived from the few scans that of the Mac's unknown power source. Then the console stopped processing, locking up as it did, leaving the bars and graphs as they were, no longer animated.

The science officer touched a few command buttons, but nothing. Suddenly there was a flash and the screen fuzzed, then re-animated, returning to its normal function. Marshal turned his chair to see the other stations on the bridge to see if anyone else had a glitch... something that was near impossible with the computer core that ran within the starship. He spoke his thoughts, "Captain... my console just locked up. Momentarily. But now it appears to be functioning normally."

Grahm turned to Marshal's words, "Locked up?"

The tactical officer's mind instinctively began to consider electronic attacks on the Columbia.

Across the bridge, Downer was satisfied with power management and so turned back to his studying of the Mac's logs. The comm officer suddenly realized his network connection with the Mac was disconnected. He began to press the command functions on his console to re-open a connection with the other ship's computer core. It was then that he heard Marshal call out to the captain.

If there was one thing Downer was good at, it was putting two and two together. Growing up in a politically charged arena made him quick to recognize things for what they were. His chosen profession in Mission Ops gave him great insight into how the ship operated and when things happened that were out of sort. Panels did not typically lock up. There were too many redundancies built in to ensure they were always operational.

Data locks between Federation starships do not just cut out without some precursor or apparent cause. Sensor readings showed no abrupt changes on the Merrimac. Perhaps damage could be the cause ... a drain of power? No. He wasn't about to try to re-establish a connection just yet. Grahm's tone confirmed the same fears he had swirling in his mind.

:ooc: A couple of tests here along the lines of what Downer is thinking. Pls disregard if they don't apply and/or add mods to the results as appropriate (TNs unknown) If the tests apply and are close, Downer will spend a point of Courage to get a success (+5 from courage on Prof. skills from Intrepid ability)

Downer's skill checks -
Computer Use (retrieval)
Check logs on recent access to computer functions, filtering out 'authorized' uses by personnel. Any core functions accessed from a strange terminal location, etc?
--------------------------
TN unknown, Computer Use +8, Specialty +2 = +10


Level 4 diagnostic - Engineering(System) check
Initiate a new Level 4 diagnostic and compare with previous - 5 min task, (extended test?)
---------------------------
TN unknown (or extended), Engineering(System) +7, Lvl 4 bonus +2 = +9

Stonn toggled the communicator on his chair. "Mr. Ramos, we are experiencing bridge panel malfunctions. Please check all computer core systems immediately."

He turned to Grahm. "Mr. Grahm, check for any possible connection between signals - or any connected-frequency signals - sent from the Merrimac to the Columbia. If you find any, report them before severing them.

Starfleet systems were too hardened for such an error to be random happenstance, and Vulcans did not believe in coincidence. All things in the universe had a connection, a cause and effect, logical and predictable. The challenge lies in finding that connection. Was it an attack, or an attempt at communication? Or, perhaps, an effort to feed? They didn't have enough information - and without it, they were guessing.

There were few things that Stonn found more distasteful than... guessing.

"Mr. Downer," he said, "re-establish communication with our personnel on the Merrimac and ascertain their status. Top priority, please."

Quote from: sdrotar on Aug 01, 2010, 10:27 PM
"Mr. Downer," he said, "re-establish communication with our personnel on the Merrimac and ascertain their status. Top priority, please."

Downer double-checked his readings and was confident that nothing had affected the Columbia's sensors or scans. If his datalink with the Merrimac's computer was cut, it must have originated there. As he waited for the results of his inquiries he answered the Captain's query, "The locks on our personnel are strong and uninterrupted, Sir. The schematic on the screen is showing real-time positions."

Almost on cue a message came from Sorek, which he patched through the bridge comms, {Sorek}"Captain. We are advacning to the environmental control room. Secondary readings do support the presence of life and an environment in the botanical atrium."

Downer worked his magic with the operations panel - filtering communication chatter between departments; monitoring power demands; cross-referencing data streams that were as benign as what was being served for dinner to the extremely dangerous as how much ultra-violet radiation was bathing the Columbia. The spectacular thing was he did it all with little awareness to his deft movements, and analyzing brain - his experience and skill had gotten him to the point where it was all automatic.

He continued to scan for any anomoly in the ship's systems. Why was there a sudden surge and then data disconnect from the Mac? While his mind worked on the issue, his earpiece silently broadcast in his ear - "Environmental Engineering to Engineering. Mr. Ramos... can you dispatch a team down here? We are having some irregular malfunctions with our doors... thanks."

Quote from: tomcat on Aug 14, 2010, 03:51 PM
"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.

"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.

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.

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.

:ooc: 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?)

"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.

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."

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...

:ooc: 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

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.

---

:ooc: 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...  ;)

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


:ooc: 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.

Quote from: donimator on Sep 15, 2010, 05:14 AM
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

:ooc: 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!

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

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."

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.

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.

---

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

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

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.)

Ramos looked to Downer as he relayed the information that he and Marshal had discovered. The engineer's hands stopped the elecronic shutdown of ship's systems, and even reversed a couple of settings which caused the Ops console to reactivate. It was Grahm that spoke first, "So they can move via data or electrical conduit? What could we possibly have that such an entity would be interested? How do you draw, or corral such a thing?"

His thoughts still hanging in the air, Grahm touched the internal comm channel on the captain's chair. "Captain Stonn, please report to the bridge."

Stonn righted himself as the struggle continued in his mind. Using his innate psionic abilities, the Vulcan set about making a barrier to the parts of his brain that the entity was interested by using a series of changing thoughts and feelings. The effect was to literally create biological and mental noise that caused the regions of his brain to disappear, or be shielded. It was only a moment when he knew that he was no longer under assault, and then the shadow was gone from environment.

"Captain?" came a concerned voice behind Stonn.

"If it's a life form, then perhaps it needs conductive material to feed on and grow," offered Ramos. "Like humans on land."
He thought about the latter for a moment.
"If that were the case, then we'd something so enticing that they couldn't resist it. We could lure and trap them there, if we could isolate the circuitry."

The ship's engines, the computer core and its navigational deflector were home to the most conductive material on the ship. but the Columbia could hardly spare any of those.

"Downer," he asked, "what if we were to overcharge some of the ship's batteries? Any energy would likely be attracted to it - provided the laws of electricity still apply - and they could be completely isolated physically. Even ejected into space, if necessary. Would there be a way to track these surges if I could lay the trap?"

Quote from: tomcat on Sep 28, 2010, 11:37 AM
Stonn righted himself as the struggle continued in his mind. Using his innate psionic abilities, the Vulcan set about making a barrier to the parts of his brain that the entity was interested by using a series of changing thoughts and feelings. The effect was to literally create biological and mental noise that caused the regions of his brain to disappear, or be shielded. It was only a moment when he knew that he was no longer under assault, and then the shadow was gone from environment.

"Captain?" came a concerned voice behind Stonn.

For a moment, Stonn didn't know where he was - but at least he knew that he was himself himself again.

He turned to the security officer. "I am uninjured. Thank you. There is an intruder on board; non-corporeal with unknown capabilities, but it is undoubtedly hostile. Assign officers in pairs at all priority positions - anyone with anything to report, even a 'feeling', is to do so immediately. Is that understood?"

As the man nodded and rushed to his superior, Stonn heard the page to the bridge.
"Bridge, this is the Captain. I am en route," he replied. "Sound Intruder Alert."

With the captain's words, the amber alert panels went crimson and the droning of the computer began. The voice, this time, was male gendered and had more of an electronic sound to it, "INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"

Marshal spoke to Ramos, "Chief, we can definitely track it as it moves through the Columbia's power grid and electronics. We can try the lure to see if it is drawn to power sources. I can isolate a grid of batteries on Deck 8. We can direct more energy from the impulse engines to them to charge them over-capicity and leave them as bait. See what happens."

The science officer stood there looking at the engineer, waiting to get approval. It was Grahm that responded, "Start it Mr. Marshal." He then looked at Juan, "What about a phaser bank? The phaser capacitors when charged are highly energized. If we were able to draw them on this premise, it might also be a way to jettison them from the ship by simply firing. What do you think?"

The discussion went on between the officers. A few moments later, the doors to the bridge opened and Stonn entered the room.

Throughout the Columbia, crewmen were reporting to stations. Security personnel were moving about the multiple decks making sure the corridors were clear and vital areas secured. Groups of two to four armed crewmen took up positions at entrances to life support, engineering, jeffries tubes, and the ship's computer core access. In each department, the crew locked down their perspective stations and awaited any orders.

Ensign Cynthia Daniels was a first year graduate from Starfleet and had been assigned to the Columbia after a brief stint on Earth Station. She filled the same capacity as she had on the massive space station being the deck officer for all inbound shuttle pod flights. Her station on the Columbia was at Docking Port Four on Deck seven. She had secured the area, including entrance to the staging area due to the intruder alert. Now she sat looking at the master situation display with her earpiece transceiver firmly in her ear. She nodded to herself at all the green lights for each of the secured air locks that led out to the docking collar, and then to the massive hangar doors themselves. All were tight and locked down. There was currently no shuttle pod within her bay, it was locked in place on collar Three on the opposite side of the Columbia, and so her job was actually harder. With no collared shuttlepod, the integrity of Columbia's environment was contained only be the airlock and the bay doors - like a bottle missing a cork.

That was when the whispers began. It had moved almost at the speed of light through the Columbia's miles of conduit and took residence within her console. Ensign Daniels shook her head at first to clear it, then spoke to her companion, "Did you say something?"

"What?" was the answer, to which Daniels pressed her earpiece and called to dock Three, "Tohn' La? Did you call us?" A female voice answered to the negative. Then it was there again. A sudden, horrible feeling filled her being and then terrible thoughts - or were they words - filled her mind. The impact was dramatic. Her will deflated. Her spirit was immediately crushed and she felt alone, terribly alone. Pain and heartache erupted inside and with it came an overwhelming feeling of desperation. Daniels in mere moments was reduced to a panicked and suicidal individual. She pulled the earpiece from her ear, crying as she did, "No....no.... no.... get out of my head!"

Her fellow flight officer, Ensign Jeanine Masterman, turned to her, "Cindy?? What is it?"

Daniels looked at the other officer and there was absolute terror in her eyes. She began to back away from her shipmate and bumped into the doors that led to the outer passage of Deck Seven. She continued to glare a contemptuous, accusatory look at her fellow and hit the manual door release, backing out as she did. The doors closed in front of her and the remaining flight officer turned to her station, "Dock Four to Bridge. Ensign Masterman reporting... sir, we have a problem down here. My fellow control officer just kinda... lost her mind."

While busy with her call, Masterman did not notice as Daniels ran by the window that looked in to the staging area. She did see the control panel signal the release and quickly turned to watch as Cindy engaged the inner airlock. Masterman punched the commands to stop the door from opening, but nested within her console was the black-hearted entity. It negated all electronic commands causing Masterman to stare in absolute confusion and then sudden fear. With the release of the inner airlock, Daniels activated the outer bay doors to open and in seconds the airlock, staging area, and outer crew corridor became a torrent of wind. The vacuum of space began to suck the environment out of the Columbia, literally lifting and dragging people and loose items as it did. The ship's emergency systems immediately activated and airtight bulkheads and environmental shields went into place stopping the disastrous, explosive vacuum.

But the damage had been done. Daniels who was the first in line had been picked up and slammed into the outer bay doors along its opening. The force of the vacuum had yanked her through the long crack leaving nothing but an awful spray of blood and human remains. In the outer corridor, five crewmen had been pulled off their feet and slammed into walls, and emergency shields. Three were lucky with just minor wounds, two had died with bone-crushing injuries.

Masterman hit her commlink even though the ship's computer was already lighting up Downer, Grahm and and Ramos's diplays, "Dock Four to Bridge! Masterman here! We just had a terrible incident..."

The woman's voice faded away as she gagged and then threw up. Inside her console, the dark energy moved on.

Downer took in the message and info that flashed on his screen. "Emergency decompression containment was activated in Docking Port Four. Not a glitch. It was a manual override by the deck officer...I...I don't know why." Downer continued to look for other strange events as he provided Marshal with whatever aid was needed to carry out the plan.

Marshal touched a command and had his console do a time-incremental display of the Columbia's power grid. Downer's announcement had given the science officer cause to perform his current test, and Marshal requested the computer to give him a replay of the grid over the last three minutes, but broken down in increments of .010 seconds per frame. The screen fluttered rapidly as the computer displayed the time passage and the science officer watched as a surge of energy - one of three - disappeared from one location, only to spike within the Docking Port Four grid.

"GOT IT!" he yelled with his discovery. "They move at almost luminal speed!" Even with the time increment broken down as it was, the surge was indefinite in its path, only that it was at one place and then another. Marshal switched the timestamp to current and his eyes widened at the immense power surge that was enveloping all of Operations controls!

"DYLAN!" cried Marshal.

Through all the intraship communications that filled Downer's earpiece transceiver, a faint whisper began on the edge of his aural sensitivity.

---

:ooc: I need Downer to give me a Willpower save TN 14.

Downer found that the greatest lesson learned as a junior officer was discovering just how much you didn't know. There was little he did today that was a written protocol. Little that could be found in an operations manual. He just hoped that they would narrow the possibilites down quickly to something that might work. He worked with Marshal to track the path of the entity and saw his cause of concern when he felt what could be best described as a 'tickle' in the back of his mind...

Dylan's Willpower test
Willpower +5, vs. TN14

:ooc: Courage use here, or leaving the results as they stand? Let me know.

Quote from: tomcat on Oct 14, 2010, 02:22 PM
:ooc: Courage use here, or leaving the results as they stand? Let me know.

:ooc: Sorry, yes. I'll use a Courage (I've lost track of what I've spent - have you been ticking them off on the char sheet or did I check the 'unused' boxes?). Failing a Willpower check can never be a good thing!

:ooc: I keep track of the Courage usage and gains on the char sheets for you guys.  ;)

It looks like Downer has used his last Courage. So you know, I have them return 1 per game day.

Stonn and Ramos both turned at Marshal's cry. There was no longer any question - the Columbia was under attack.

"Mr. Ramos," Stonn said sternly, "we need that trap readied immediately."

In the meantime, Stonn's mind leaped from option to option in case it failed. They were being assaulted by energy-based creatures, who apparently needed electrically-conductive elements to move rapidly, but they could move by energy transmission, as well - though more slowly - that would seem to be how they got on board the ship. But they were also capable of interacting - directly - with the minds of organic beings. How?

They were very short on information, and Stonn was aware that their time was growing even shorter.

A new voice called out to the command officers from the tactical station, "Commander Grahm! I have something."

Grahm quickly strode over to his own station, just next to his subordinates, and looked at his mirrored tactical display. His face took on a grim look, "Captain... we have an unknown starship inbound to our location. ETA is fifteen minutes."

Downer barely registered the threat of a new ship. That was something they could deal with. There were protocols for that. He desperately tried to control what Ops functionality was left and execute one of the plans. He tried to quickly jump past the security locks and surge power to the Deck 8 batteries. That sounded as good a plan as any and something discrete they could hopefully control. If it worked it was a tool they could refine later. Time to put theory to practice.

"We are in no condition to interact with another vessel at this point," said Stonn. Whether the vessel was friend or foe didn't matter - another Federation starship could face the same fate, and they could not engage a foe with their own systems in revolt.

"Attempt to identify the vessel before initiating any contact, and continue with the effort to trap our intruders."

:ooc:

Marshal attempts to identify the incoming vessel with Hi Res long range sensors
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 18 -2 range mod = 16 Sys Ops +4, Spec +2, Ship bonus +3 = +9
-------------------------

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?

---

:ooc: 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.

Quote"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.

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

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.

:ooc: Stonn, Ramos and Grahm's Intellect rolls:

Stonn
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 12 Intellect +3
-------------------------


Ramos
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 15 Intellect +2
-------------------------


Grahm
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 15 Intellect +2
-------------------------


I will post again after the results.

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

Quote
"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?"

 :ooc: 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.

Quote from: sdrotar on Nov 20, 2010, 01:06 AM
:ooc: No clue how I missed these last INT roll posts - I've been on the site and posting regularly. My sincere apologies.

:ooc: 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."

Quote from: tomcat on Nov 21, 2010, 03:45 PM

"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."

Quote from: tomcat on Nov 21, 2010, 03:45 PM
"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.

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.

---

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

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.

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."

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."

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.

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.

Quote from: tomcat on Jan 01, 2011, 02:09 PM
"Captain," Grahm said calmly. "We need to move."

"Agreed, Mr. Grahm," Stonn said calmly.
"Helm, move us out of the gravimetric distortion as quickly as possible, using lateral thrusters if necessary to keep our forward shields facing the Orion vessel."

He looked back to Grahm, who had noted that weapons were at the ready. "Mr. Grahm, if we must fire, focus on weapons systems, shields and engines - it is imperative that we be able to disable the Orion vessel, so we may question them about their activities in the area... and whether they had anything to do regarding the Merrimac's situation."

"Mr. Downer," he asked, "open a channel to the Orion vessel."
Upon confirmation, the captain spoke.

"Incoming Orion vessel, this is Captain Stonn of the U.S.S. Columbia, currently engaged in rescue operations of a Starfleet science vessel operating in non-aligned space. Please identify yourself and state your intentions."

Under normal circumstances, Stonn would have warned another vessel of the dangers that lurk in the Cluster, but given the aggressive posture of the Orion craft, logic dictated that to secure the safety of his ship and crew, such gestures would have to be withheld for now.

He waited for a response - they all did.

Anderson's navigation test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 20 Cluster Mod +5 = 25 Sys Ops +11, Specialty +2 = +13
-------------------------


Pushkin's helm test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 20 Cluster Mod +5 = 25 Sys Ops +13, Specialty +2, Columbia mod +1 = +16
-------------------------


Grahm's deflector test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 10 Cluster Mod +6 = 16 Sys Ops +13, Specialty +2, Columbia mod +3 = +18
-------------------------


Marshal's sensor test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
(http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_a.gif) TN 10 Cluster Mod +4 = 14 Sys Ops +10, Specialty +2 = +12
-------------------------

:ooc: Anderson will use his last two Courage to make his roll a success with 26. The Columbia has now departed all effects of the asteroid/dust cloud that surrounds the Katyon. It still needs to make two more tests to clear all gravitic effects, but space is considered to be clear (TN 10 plus distance mods above).

I am going to roll to see if the Orions make an attack prior to the Columbia's escape from the Cluster's effects.

1-2: The Columbia can make two more tests with no interruption, and if successful, the Columbia may engage the Orions with no impairments.
3-4: The Columbia is attacked at Long range (all Cluster effects apply to ship actions based on system and range band)
5-6: The Columbia is attacked at Extended range (all Cluster effects apply to ship actions based on system and range band)

:ooc: Okay, the Columbia is still within the Cluster at the Long range band. It still needs to make the tests above to escape the Cluster (two times for Long and Extended), but the Orions have closed to within striking distance and may interfere with the Columbia's efforts.

From what I have read, all PC characters are now on the bridge, so feel free to dialogue here as you wish, but we will be going to a new combat thread with the next few posts. I will give instructions there on how things will be handled.

Brian, feel free to give me some Sys op tests with your med tricorder. I will PM any pertinent findings based on DOS.

---

On his ship, the Orion captain listened to Stonn's voice over his bridge intercom. He looked to his first officer who stared back with a sneer, "I say let the static of space be their only reply."

To this the captain nodded. He had no desire to leave the Federation vessel be. Starfleet had been a bane to them since it started interfering with their politics and their raids. "It might be best to use the Cluster to our advantage, yes?" asked the captain. His first officer nodded a confirmation. "Still, I think this captain deserves to know who has slain him. Open channel." The screen activated and Stonn's face appeared, "This is Captain Radvaa of the Tisaruu caj, and you are in violation of our space, as was your counterpart there some years past. We have only one penalty for this crime... your destruction."

Stonn saw his viewscreen wink out, the Orion captain ending his transmission. He recognized the Orion term caj, meaning family. It could be a link. His thoughts were drawn back to the moment as Grahm spoke, "They are targeting weapons, captain!"

Quote from: tomcat on Jan 05, 2011, 02:08 PM
Stonn saw his viewscreen wink out, the Orion captain ending his transmission. He recognized the Orion term caj, meaning family. It could be a link. His thoughts were drawn back to the moment as Grahm spoke, "They are targeting weapons, captain!"

"Prepare to return fire, Mr. Grahm," Stonn responded. "Targets at your discretion. Helm, keep our forward shields and weapons towards the enemy as we get clear of the distortion."

The Columbia was still under attack, in a fashion, by the non-corporeal beings aboard her, but for the moment, Stonn could do nothing about it, so his mind shuffled that threat to a lower priority and focused instead on the things he could control.

Quote from: tomcat on Jan 05, 2011, 02:08 PM
:ooc: Brian, feel free to give me some Sys op tests with your med tricorder. I will PM any pertinent findings based on DOS.

:ooc: Let's start with the Captain first, as he is telling everyone else what to do. Once Sherman is convinced the Captain isn't under any external influence, he will scan the remainder of the bridge crew.

Sys Ops +10, Medical Specialty +2, Tricorder +5

:ooc: Going to need a bit of time here - still designing the Orion attack ship.

Doc Sherman moves unobtrusively about the bridge scanning each of the crew while they performed their duties. The Columbia still had some distance to cover before it would escape the huge envelope of gravimetric sheer that encased the Katyon Cluster. The Orion captain was not going to give them that chance. And so, Sherman moved quickly so as to ascertain that no critical officer was affected by the entities that still free-roamed the Columbia. It would be catastrophic if one of the crewmen were to fail in their duties at a moment when the ship could be vulnerable.

So far, the doctor was relieved to see that no one was directly hampered by the incorporeal beings.

Downer watched his console. With the aid of Marshal, the two men had put together the means to trace the beings within the electronic network of the starship, but if they were to leave the miles of circuitry, then their locations would be lost. It was certain that the beings were using HID's to impair the crewmen that they could reach, but at their amazing speed of travel, it was hard to see who could be affected next. The Ops officer looked at the battery plant that he was transferring excessive power to, in hopes of drawing them to it, and then trapping them, but so far the bait did not seem to appeal.

Dylan thought about what the entities had done thus far... they had killed. They had tampered with the ship's environmental conditions. They were causing distress... panic... fear. Did they exist on human emotion? Primarily fear? Or did they feed off of the stress it created? What did they achieve by causing Ensign Daniels to commit suicide? Was it envy for the life that she had? Was it anger?

Too many possiblities and too little time at the moment...

---

:ooc: I know we have been away from this game for awhile, but it is far from over... I am going to be setting up the combat rounds and grids. I should have them up tonight or tomorrow, but feel free to dialogue/narrative here.