RPG.avioc.org

Sorek looked at Devon and replied in the flat, unexcited manner of Vulcans, "Your idea is logical Lieutenant, but the time and energy it will take for the Aladdin to vacuum the airlock, re-compress, and then vacuum again would be too much time for us to spend. Also, by the time all is said and done, the culprit of these noises might be gone, or worse. No, we shall go out together but feel free to have your team fan out and secure the hangar as necessary. I promise that I will be doing nothing more than evaluating the chamber with my tricorder."

That said, Sorek entered the airlock and moved to a position that allowed more of his fellow crewmen to join him. Besides Phillips, two engineers and the remaining four security crewmen joined the Vulcan, and the chamber sealed itself. A voice crackled to life within their EVA helmet - it was Marsden. "All right. Starting decompression now. When the back lock turns green, you may open the airlock and exit the ship."

Phillips took up a position to be the first man out, and he listened as the shuttle's internal environmental systems did a back draw of the air within the lock, drawing it back into the ship so it would not be lost to space. Their EVA suits began to register information of temperature and the total dispersal of all environment. There was a clunk sound and the back door of the ship illuminated green. Devon touched the command console and the door slid open and a stair ladder extended down the few feet to the hangar deck below.

Nothing moved throughout the hangar. The Merrimac was still producing gravity that gave them easier and safer freedom of movement, but the huge chamber was void of any environment. Everything lay about the deck as it had since the last living people were aboard the ship.

"Defensive Pattern Zeta," Lieutenant, j.g. Phillips ordered his men, phasers drawn out, as they spread throughout the hangar, taking up a defensive posture around the shuttlecraft. " I want constant communication and check-ins around the clock. Alladdin?," he went on, "--keep keep our backs covered. Anything out of the ordinary you pick up, let us know..." **Now where is the mysterious 'boogeyman',** he thought, then refocusing, opening a channel to Sorek. "Sir, we are in the process of securing the hangar area..."

Phillips and his men fanned out, while the two engineers made a quick circuit of the shuttlecraft. There was definite signs of damage, but the hull integrity had not been compromised. Using engineering scanners, the two men began to get a more detailed evaluation of the ship and tried to see if they could visibly see where the ionic-flux displacer had been cut. The nacelle was bent and was held to the ship's main body by only one strut - the other being cracked in half.

Meanwhile the five security personnel, including Phillips, finished a complete inspection of the hangar. There was nothing, or no one, there. Items lay strewn about and the Galileo-class shuttle was perched and ready on the flight line, but no other evidence of the Merrimac's crew could be seen. Large containers lay about, some on their sides, evidently yanked from their pallets when the bay doors were broken open.

Devon looked at Sorek, who still stood at the back of the Aladdin. The Vulcan was scanning with his tricorder. The engineers were in deep discussion of what to do with the damage. He signalled to his men and the quartet began to move towards him. Phillips turned in the direction of the passage, its doors closed, that led into the Mac's hull. He walked over to the doors and saw that they were active. Moving closer, the door sensor detected his presence and they opened - the usual hiss unheard due to the vacuum.

Phillips suddenly heard a whisper that seemed to come from behind him. He turned, but as he did, something moved down the hall he was looking. The young lieutenant suddenly felt gooseflesh rise on his arms, as he saw that the Galileo's inner lights now glowed. Devon quickly looked back down the hall and there was nothing there.

At the back of the Aladdin, his arm tricorder scanning, Sorek heard Downer's voice come through his EVA communication system. The Ops officer told him that Captain Stonn wished to speak with him. Nodding to no one, Sorek re-broadcast back, "Captain? This is Lt. Commander Sorek reporting as ordered."

"What in the world?." Devon responded, looking around, phaser drawn, shaking his head, trying to make sense of the situation..He then tapped his communcator, continuing, "Security team. Phillips. Anyone hear or feel anything out of the ordinary? Sorek? Sir? I think you might want to head over towards my position...The strange sound? I believe that I am hearing them over here..And to add that to the wierdness..I feeling something as well.." He then contacted the rest of his team, continuing, "--Guys? Maintain defense posture and hold...In case of any surprises..Maintain position around the engineering team and the Alladin..."

Heeding the young security officer, Sorek finished up his scan and walked over to where Phillips stood. "What has you so agitated, Lieutenant?"

"Sir?," Devon turned towards Sorek, then back into the direction where the he heard the mysterious voices, continuing, "--I apologize for the sudden quick reactions, but I just heard...Something...I can't explain it correctly," he turned back to Sorek again. "I know it sounds crazy--but...I think something is in here..With us..."

Grahm's voice came over the speakers in the shuttle, as well as within the helmet's of the EVA's, "Galileo 042 launched and inbound to the Merrimac. ETA is 20 minutes."

"Aladdin acknowledges," was the reply from Marsden.

Outside the shuttle, Sorek looked at Phillips with a stone face, typical of a Vulcan. "It would be illogical of us to assume that a living creature could not live within the vacuum of space, but our sensors do not support your claim, Lieutenant, that something is present. Thus your statement is based on a lack of empirical data, not a mental state - but what was it that you heard?"

Both vulcan and man suddenly took notice of the corridor, revealed by the open door that Phillip's proximity had triggered. Crewmen of the Merrimac could be seen laying about the deck, their bodies frozen and lifeless. In a pattern of speech as cold as those that lay dead, Sorek called to the Aladdin, "Doctor Sherman, your presence may soon be necessary out here. With the Galileo on its way, prepare all the wounded to be transfered and then join us." Sorek then directed his communication to the Columbia, "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."

Sorek began to slowly walk into the corridor that exited the hangar bay and took him deeper into the Mac. He knelt down at the first body that he came upon. It was a young human female. Her skin was a greyish blue, though there was very little decay - such things would not occur in space. Ice particles were apparent wherever there were folds or creases of the skin, and her eyes showed the effects of a vacuumed environment. In truth, it was quite a horrible visage, one that would surely be part of one of Earth's ancient films. To Sorek, it was just an inevitability of living, pressurized tissue being exposed to space. He clicked on his tricorder and began to scan.

Behind him, Phillips stood staring at the horror that was once an attractive, human woman. He turned his head and looked down the hall and realized there could be over 300 faces just like this that they would have to see.

In the main hangar bay, the engineering crewmen received their orders and they moved over towards the yawning entrance. It took only a few minutes until the needed power was routed to the emergency systems and the charges were activated. The countdown was started and the men moved quickly to cover - none really sure what could possibly happen. Fifteen seconds passed and then a very non-dramatic thing occured - twenty charges flashed and then extinguished, burning hot enough to cut through the hull steel of which the door hinges were made. Compressed air then blasted out causing the now loose doors to blow out and away from the Merrimac's tail end. The pressurized air was strong enough to create enough force that sent the huge doors drifting away, clearing the path for the inbound shuttle.

In all the commotion of the moment, no one saw as the lights within the empty Galileo-craft that sat next to the Aladdin, went out.

Quote from: Stonn"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."

"Understood, Captain," was the short reply. Sorek then looked to Phillips, "Lt. Phillips, I will wait here for Dr. Sherman to arrive. I would like you and your men to proceed throughout this deck only and check all primary corridors and rooms. We will not worry about sub-halls and access passages. It is apparent that no one is living on this ship, and we need only the ship's log to determine the total number of lost and their names. The captain can determine whether or not the ship will be brought back into proper Federation shipping lanes and then back to Earth to retrieve the fallen."

Phillips was a little off put by the Vulcan's cander- three hundred lives were lost yet Sorek was so matter-of-fact. The young lieutenant wondered if he would ever get used to working around these people.

Doc left the shuttle airlock and scanned the bay, spotting Sorek and Phillips near the open door to the hallway beyond. He marched over to them, speaking indignantly into his suit communicator, "We've still got injured crew in there you know. What's so important out he... oh." He stopped abruptly when he saw the bodies.

Doctor Sherman stepped out of the Aladdin and was amazed by what he saw through the opening of the hangar bay. It was like you could step off and out into the infinity of space. It overwhelmed the man who dealt with tangibles, albeit infintismal in themselves when you looked at the number of cells and neurons, etc. that made up a living being. Still, he felt very small and almost a sense of vertigo, and so he turned away from the doors.

That was when he heard the whisper - almost completely unintelligible, but Sherman was sure he heard, ".... comfffooorrt.... "

He looked back over his shoulder and saw the engineer crewmen, the shuttle, open space, and a portion of KC1, as the Merrimac drifted a bit, pulled by the gravity well in which it hung. The brilliant light from the massive red star causing him to squint. But then the Mac, was tugged back the other way and the hangar bay dimmed again as light no longer shined inside.

Sorek noticed his approach, "Doctor, I am aware of the fact that crewmen are injured aboard the shuttlecraft, but I am certain that your personnel can attend them. But we need to move along with our mission here, and it would seem best that your time be used to get us some answers of what happened to the Merrimac's crew."

Sherman looked down at the body. It was an awful example of a human being exposed to the vacuum and frigid cold of space.

---

:ooc: Brian, I like your post too, but use what I gave you in my post as you want.

Sorek took a moment to observe the crew. Human frailities were certainly a part of his being, but were something that hitherto he had kept in check. The emotional response of the crew to seeing so many dead, Federation personnel dead, might compromise his ability to observe any changes in their mindset caused by this supposed alien presence. They were professional, they were well-trained, they would do their jobs. Of that he had no doubt. Though, he would certainly evaluate their state of mind more frequently to look for anomalies. Something unexplained happened on this ship, but the safety of the crew under his command was at least as important as unearthing the mystery of it all.

**Jessica...,** Devon thought, looking at the dead human female thinking about his fiance back home on Belle Terre..**..Alone..On that dangerous frontier world...** He then shook his thoughts loose, regaining his professional composure..Looking over his shoulder back towards the hangar bay, activated his communicator, "Anderson? Sanchez? I need you up here now to help with the continued search..Harper and the rest of the team, remain here and await the rescue shuttle and assist wherever neccesary..Phillips out.."

Turning to face Sorek, Phillips went on, "Sir, I did hear something..Something..I can't explain it..But something is..HERE.."

Sorek continued to calibrate some readings on his tricoder as he talked with Lt. Phillips. He was pleased that Dr. Sherman had begun a cursory examination of the bodies so that he could focus on some detailed scans.

"Lt. Phillips. The presence of an entity does not alter the need to investigate the ship as fully as directed to determine if it is possible to salvage. Preliminary indications of such have proven negative through empirical observations. The primary mission still stands until such time as a definitive threat is recognized."

Sorek knew he was being hard on the young officer. He felt something was off too, but refused to give in to speculation until some hard evidence presented himself. He realized he must provide some comfort such that the mission did not fall apart through unfounded fears.

"Perhaps it would be best to form larger teams with your crew and increase the contact frequency. Proceed with caution and take no unnecessary risks. Until we better determine what happened here, it would be best if we limit our perimeter. I leave the deployment details to you, Lieutenant." There...that should put his mind at ease.

"Aye, Commander," Devon responded, holding his composure in check. **More concrete proof? Vulcans and their logic..I know I heard and felt something..Why can't he see past his 'logic' and react on instinct?**

Once Anderson and Sanchez arrived, Devon spoke, immediately getting a plan into action. "Anderson? Sanchez?" He turned to Sorek, then back to his men, continuing, "--don't let the dead here rattle you. We have a job to do. I want this corridor swept and secure for the other members of the away team. Anything out of the--ordinary," he made certain Sorek heard that 'word'.."--report to me immediately. Move out."

Sorek nodded in satisfaction at the security officer's command of his subordinates and turned again to the Doctor. How does one look rumpled even in an EVA suit? "Dr. Sherman. I assume it would be beneficial to examine one or more of the deceased in detail. I also assume that such an examination could only be performed on the Columbia. I would suggest the strictest quarantine protocols if that is your chosen path. Thank you, Doctor."

Sorek strode off to return to the hangar area to receive a report from the engineering crew.

Doc paused when he heard the voice. He looked at the others, and assumed they were experiencing similar phenomenon. I wonder if we're hearing the same words ... he thought as he did a quick inspection of the scene.

Keeping one eye on the other away team members, to see if they exhibited any odd behaviour, he began a more careful examination of the first body, the young woman near the door. "Such a shame ... " he mumbled, pulling his medical tricorder from his satchel and using it to determine cause of death, and to locate any other anomalies.

:ooc:

Diagnosis roll: +16 (+5 for the tricorder)

Roll(2d6)+21: 1,1,+21 Total:23 (humph ... natural 20 in Star Wars, snakeyes here ... karma at work). BTW please adjust if I got the equipment bonus wrong.

:ooc: Sorry for the delays... no excuse really other than everytime I sit down at my machine, I have twenty other things that need done.

Now to the game... two things:

Brian I have a house rule in place that works like the CODA double 6's rule, but for double 1's. You can read it in the House Rules thread if you'd like, but basically it says when snake-eyes come up, you roll another d6 and subtract that from the result. If a six shows, roll again, etc. This can turn a bad roll into a disaster depending on how the dice fall. So, here is what I am reducing your results by:

Roll(1d6)+0: 3,+0 Total:3, still resulting in a 20... good roll. Now I reduce it by the EVA suit penalty of -2 for a net 18.

Also, remember to include the EVA suit penalty to any physical test rolls. Characters with the EVA suit training Edge can negate this penalty.

---

Sherman's tricorder flashed with light and color as it scanned the dead woman's body. The readings were nothing more than the doctor expected. Massive internal hemorrhaging on the cellular level as internal body pressure was exposed to the absence of external pressure. The doc grimaced to himself when he thought of some of the ancient Earth movies about space, and how the astronauts would burst in pulpy explosions if they were exposed to space. It was true in one respect - internal cellular pressure would cause the body to literally burst its seams, but it was not an explosive pressure. And so, certainly in massive pain, this woman died as her body came apart and froze at the same time. "Horrible," the physician thought.

Doc looked down the hall. There were a lot of dead people here. He would need to have them gathered so that they could be identified and a crew manifest drawn up. They were going to need more people here.

Sorek was talking to one of the engineers. "Commander, the Aladdin is definitely grounded for a while. She will need to have that displacer replaced so that we can re-energize the repulsor lifts. We might be able to tow her out with that Galileo-class, right there." The engineer pointed over Sorek's shoulder to the other shuttle that sat on the flight line. As they spoke, movement caught the Vulcan's eye as another shuttle, dispatched from Columbia, appeared outside the open hangar doors. The incoming shuttle was lining up to commence its landing. Sorek looked around and hoped that there would be enough room to bring the craft in. Once landed, he and his teams would see about moving the injured from the Aladdin.

Phillips and his people were moving up the central corridor that led from the hangar bay towards engineering. The three security members opened doors as they came upon them, peering inside and taking account of the ship's and crew's status.

It was eerie to Phillips. He knew that two of his team were following behind him, but the young officer felt terribly alone. He stepped over dead bodies, only to look where he placed his foot for fear of stepping on another. The dead faces looked up at him in frozen agony, some with torn eyeballs that were blue or black from the frozen blood that filled them.

It was a nightmare.

Devon turned a corner that went to his left and the corridor darkened. The lights above were either blown or they flickered, casting a haunting strobe. He approached a door, maneuvering around a dead engineering crewman that sat upright against the wall in his uniform coveralls. The crewman's face hung slack, the ship's gravity having pulled it down after all life in the muscles had ceased, and now it was frozen. It reminded Phillips of rubber and bile formed in the back of his throat. He breathed deep. Getting nauseous in an EVA was not the best thing to have happen.

The door in front of him silently opened and revealed the botanical environmental control room. Within the central area of the secondary hull of most Constitution-class vessels, right behind the main engineering room, was a botanical chamber. It was large, encompassing three deck levels, and within it were grown plants and some even had animals and insects. The goal was to create a living chamber that mirrored the ecology of the planet that the crew primarily shared. It allowed for R and R, and it also provided the crew with fresh fruits and vegetables. Lastly, it allowed scientists to study the effects of prolonged time in space on vegetation and other fauna. Holodeck chambers could reproduce the same vision of planetary ecology, but Starfleets physicians and psychiatrists all agreed that a true, living, chamber within a starship aided in crew morale and well-being.

Phillips looked at the readings that were displayed within the control room. All seemed normal... but... Phillips suddenly realized all was normal. The botanical room had an environment!

Sorek saw the approaching shuttle and recognized things would get confused on the deck as more teams arrived and needed to be briefed and assigned. He hated the disorder and lost time that would result, but the crew would recover quick and get back up to speed. He knew what had to be done and had to temper his frustration of depending on others to do something he could do more quickly. He was always more comfortable hands-on. Managing people was never his strong suit.

Sorek quickly refocused on the engineer team he was addressing. Best to get them on to something before the new arrivals cluttered the deck. "Please evaluate the status of the Galileo, Ensign. Another craft on stand-by may be beneficial." He quickly turned on heel and strode to the side of hanger bay. He observed the teams working as he awaited the arrival of the other shuttle.

"Aye, Commander," replied the engineer to Sorek's request. The Science Officer then heard his communicator, "Commander... Phillips, here. Sir, I believe that the botanical atrium has an environment."

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow at the statement. Neither their local sensors, nor the Columbia's, registered a breathable atmosphere on board the Merrimac. Sorek's attention was drawn back to his surroundings and he began to move back as the Galileo from their ship entered the main hangar bay, slowing as it did and coming to a gentle landing.

In the botanical environmental control room, Devon began to adjust controls to get as accurate a reading as he could. With his attention drawn to the panels, he did not notice the doors to the chamber slide silently closed. He was not aware of anything until the lights suddenly went out.

---

:ooc: More to come...

The Galileo 042 came to a rest on the deck and a moment later, the ship's hatch opened and eight crewmen, of varying departments, exited the ship. Sorek saw that he had three more engineers, three more medics, and two security personnel. The newcomers fanned out and went to their perspective senior officers to inquire what was needed.

The engineering officer approached Sorek, "Sir, I'd like to take my team to Engineering. We might be able to do something about the ship not having a workable environ."

Behind the man, Doctor Sherman was directing his staff in the offloading of wounded crewmen from the Aladdin and moving them to the Galileo for a return trip to the Columbia. Already the pilot and navigator were rotating the small craft with the ship's repulsor lifts so that it might launch directly out of the Merrimac's hangar. The wounded crewmens' EVA suits were buttoned up and then they were assisted across the landing deck to the awaiting shuttle. Once done, the pilot closed the hatch and re-activated the ship's internal environment. That completed, he proceeded to launch.

Lt. Sorek's mind was drawn back to the question at hand, from the engineer officer before him, but first they needed to know that the path to Engineering was safe. Which reminded him of Phillips... and his last communiqué. Sorek hit the transmit button on his comm unit, and waited for the reply from the young lieutenant.

None came.

Sorek waited a moment with impatience before activating the suit's comms again, "Lt. Phillips...Report." Nothing. He tranmsitted again. "Security Team. Report in. Is anyone with Lt. Phillips?"

Sorek looked around as the Columbia's Gallileo glided out of the bay on its return trip. Things were in hand in the bay. The Engineering officer was still standing there. What was his name? Telek. His personnel file reported him a competent, promising young officer.

"In time, Lt.Telek. We haven't secured the ship yet. You have crews working on the Aladdin's ionic-flux displacer and another checking on the Merrimac's Gallileo. Coordinate their activities until we are able to move through the ship."

Sorek disliked disorder. Where was Phillips? Where was anyone on his security team?

Doc watched the tail end of the rescue shuttle as it slid out of the hangar, satisfied that there were no further problems and those onboard would be quickly stabilized once they reached a proper medical facility onboard Columbia. He was pleased with the efforts of the away team medics. They had done well in a difficult situation. There's hope for these kids yet, he mumbled to himself as he returned to his investigation of the horrific demise of Merrimac's crew.

Gathering up a team of uninjured medical staff, Sherman led them to the hall at the back of the hangar bay, instructing them to begin recording the identities of the deceased. Once his team was busy, he found Sorek. "Did I hear that young lieutenant say there was atmosphere somewhere onboard this ship? Makes no sense to me considering the entire crew died from lack of it out here."

:ooc: I assumed Phillips was on an open channel when he reported from the botanical bay. Wait ... did I just type that ... Botany Bay! ... Khaaaaaaaaaan! ;)

Sorek turned his attention to the Doctor as the engineering officer left. "That was the initial report, Doctor, but I am unable to contact him for confirmation. Until we can hail the security team you should ensure all of your team who exit the hangar are under guard. I trust it won't interfere with your initial work, but some caution is prudent until we account for our personnel."

Satisfied, Sorek edged towards the connecting hallway. Was a trace of anxiety entering his voice? Certainly not. It was natural to show concern for missing crew. They were  under his orders and locating them would mean lost time and redeployed resources. He was fine. He was in control.

Punching the transmit button on his suit communicator perhaps a little too harshly he fought to keep an even tone, "Security Team. This is Commander Sorek. Report in."

Sorek finally heard a voice, "Sir? This is Ensign Anderson... Lt. Phillips is not with me, sir. He moved ahead us going around a corner." Another voice confirmed, "Sanchez, here sir... Lt. Phillips is not here with me either. Nothing here but the dead."

The Vulcan could hear a lost sound in the voice of Sanchez, maybe even fear. The young crewman was alone in a large ship surrounded by the bodies of the Merrimac's crew. Sorek was certain it was fear.

Doc's presence interrupted Sorek's analysis of Sanchez's mental condition. With a look at each other, both knew it was time to move into the ship.

"Anderson. Sanchez. Return to the main corridor. We will advance together to the Botanical Atrium." Sorek turned to the Doctor, "Doctor. Your team with me, please." He again activated his communicator to talk with the Engineering officer, "Lt. Telek. Report with a team member to the main corridor. Someone with experience in environmental controls."

The team re-assembling, Sorek sent a message to the Captain, "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."

Sorek's hand grazed the phaser attached to his suit, but instead activated his tricoder. If the botanical section was still operational, he should be able to detect the life readings emitting from it, even through the internal bulkheads. If anything was preventing an accurate reading, it might be as telling.

Sorek's tricoder check - signs of plant/animal life in botanical atrium
Assumed bonuses: Sys Ops (Sensors) +8, +2 spec., Tricoder use +5 = +15
Assumed penalties: EVA Suit physical test -2, Winded -1 = -3
Potential factors not added: Science (Biology) affinity, Range penalty, bulkhead (cover?)


:ooc: I threw a bunch of assumptions in there. Pls modify result to suit actual conditions. (if this even works!!)

Sorek started calibrating his tricoder as the security personnel appeared from side rooms further up the hall. The light flickered around the corner but their goal was the atrium door directly ahead. Lt. Telek arrived with a crewman to form up behind Doctor Sherman. He hoped the tricoder scan at a closer range would produce some result. "Ready everyone." (more a statement than a question) "Let's move."

Doc did not like the sound of this plan, but somewhere in this ship one of their own was down. "Med Team Alpha, you're with me. The rest of you continue with the identification of the bodies in this section."

As his staff assembled, Sherman took a long look down the imposing hallway filled with the dead, hoping he and the crew from Columbia weren't about to join them. With a sigh of resignation he trudged after Sorek and the others.

The landing party members gathered and then moved up the corridor gathering the two security officers that exited from doors on either side. The door to the botanical atrium was before them as the corridor turned left and then made another quick change to the right. To their left was another door that was closed that enclosed the botanical room environmental controls.

Sorek's tricorder began to give off a faint whine as it began to scan for any life, or biological readings. The Vulcan quickly changed settings on the instrument so that it ignored biological matter that was no longer living. The screen data dramatically reduced as all the dead crewmen were excluded from the scan readings. Still, Sorek raised an eyebrow at the readings that his scanner was picking up.

Botanical rooms on starships were always kept lush and even fauna was allowed to live within, but the plant and animal life was kept contained and minimalized within the atrium - at least to a level that could be successfully maintained in the space provided. Sorek checked his tricorder's calibration to make sure the readings were correct.

---

:ooc: I changed the picture a little by widening the second hull. After looking at some pics of Constitution-class vessels and modern day carriers, I could see that my pic was too thin.

Sorek checked the readings again and was satisfied they were the best he was going to receive. There was interference of some sort, but a source was not evident. Conditions in the atrium were confirmed, but what of the other reading? Phillips?

His hand again moved for his phaser, but he stopped. No. There was no indication of other life forms that were a threat. He would move to the control room. No need to explain. This was his mission to command.

He gestured to a security crewman, "Stand post at the atrium door." and pointing to another, "Take up a position in the corridor ahead"  :ooc: (Just around the corner, a space or two west of the control room door) And finally at the third, "Crewman. You and Lt. Telek with me. Doctor Sherman - stand by. I'm getting a faint life reading from the control room."

Walking abreast with the security team, Sorek steps past the bodies into the flickering light of the corridor and heads for the manual door controls if the sensors do not open it automatically.

What does he mean by "faint"? Doc thought, as he tuned his medical tricorder on the control room to see what Sorek had detected. Perhaps his practiced physician's eye would reveal more detail about Philips' condition, if he was still in there.

 :ooc: Sherman's scan - Medical Systems Op +12 -1 (winded) - not sure about equipment bonus (no book handy) so I will let you adjust.

 :ooc: Oops ... sorry I thought I had the syntax correct to include the +11. Total should be 16.

Doc's eyes widened slightly at his medical scanner's readings. He had pointed it in the direction of the small Botanical Control Room and was receiving the readings of a human male who appeared to be going through coronary arrest. The scanner also was linked to the EVA suit that protected the man, and its bio-readouts identified him as Lietenant (jg) Phillips. Sherman pressed forward in pursuit of his other three shipmates. He had a life to save.

The doors to the Botanical Control Room opened immediately for Sorek, the hidden proximity sensors triggering them. The room was pitch black save for the numerous glowing lights of the control panels. Suddenly the overhead lighting system flickered to life and the room was bathed in light. On the floor, near the enviro-control panel lay the form of Phillips. He was not moving.

Sorek immediately took stock of the situation and the personnel with him. His immediate thought was to move to Phillips, but the Doctor and his staff would be much more effective. He wanted to ascertain the status of the environmental controls and try to figure out why the atrium had an atmoshpere that was not picked up from the Columbia. Telek though, and his team knew those systems inside and out and could be more effective at getting answers. He did what most good commanders he worked under did. He stepped out of the way and let the personnel do their jobs.

"Doctor. In here. Mr. Telek, determine the status of the controls and see if power and operations are functioning as expected from this room. Crewman...stand ready." He called out to the remaining crew in the hall, "Hold positions while we work in here." He would wait for Doctor Sherman to make a prognosis before reporting back to the Captain. He would give Telek and his team a moment to get a handle on the control functions...why did each second seem an eternity?

Doc barged into the control room, roughly pushing past Sorek and making his way over to the prone form of Philips. Having already assessed the situation, he dropped to his knees beside Philips, pulling an injector from his kit, which he applied through the thinner material on the neck area of Phillips' EVA suit.

There was no way to defibrillate through the heavy suit, and despite the reports of a viable atmosphere, Doc was unwilling to expose Phillips to possible toxins. Hoping the drugs would help, Doc took a deep breath and began administering CPR, while keeping an eye on the readout of his medical tricorder.

:ooc:
First Aid attempt on Phillips - (http://rpg.avioc.org/boards/Themes/default/images/dice_warn.gif) This dice roll has been tampered with!
Rolled 2d6+10 : 4, 2 + 10, total 16

Doh! I didn't tamper with the die roll ... I just corrected a spelling mistake!  :-[

Doc worked in silence, although the sound of his own breath filled his helmet. He watched the small medical tricorder that he had sat on the deck, next to Phillips, but the displays did not look promising. Sherman realized that he was successfully moving the man's blood by providing artificial cardio pumps, but he also knew that the young security officer was not breathing on his own and there was no way to provide artifical breaths - not through his helmet visor. To open the shield would be immediate death for the man.

Two more of Sherman's team fell in beside him on the floor and tried to give aid as they could. One medic increased the release of oxygen within the suit so that Phillips would have more air to breath, if they could get him to breath on his own, while the other reached into his medkit and pulled out his hypo. He loaded a stimulant cartridge that was like the human bodies natural adrenaline. The goal was to kick start the man's heart. Between the meds and the CPR given by Sherman, the added air, and the stimulant, it was the best that they could provide for the man within the vacuum of the Mac.

While the doctors worked, Telek, after a moment of watching, heeded Sorek's orders and moved to the command controls. After a moment of cursory glances and quick mental analysis, he had an idea of the ship's environmental situation within the atrium along with a sense of power output.

"Mr. Sorek, based on the displays here, I can see that the Merrimac's auxilliary power reactor has been dedicated to environmental programs. All other systems have been disabled. You can see here, sir... 75% to comp-core, 18% to environment, 4% to lighting, 3% to temperature. I can say that the way it is set up, there is nothing for shields and so the UV radiation would have killed everyone aboard this ship. Also, with the ship opened up the way it is - structurally - I don't know how anyone could have stayed comfortable with only 3% of the power going to maintain heat. If they didn't suffer from radiaion poisoning, they had to have frozen to death." Telek shook his head. "The other strange thing, sir, is that the botanical chamber shows readings of carbon-based lifeforms... plants to be sure, a liveable atmosphere, along with a thermostat reading of 82 degrees. If they ran to the botanical atrium to wait it out, it looks like they would be able to survive. The plant life would provide some sorts of foods. I hear that some of the ships even keep animals - so maybe they had those to use for food, too."

---

:ooc: For Phillips, the stimulant given by the medic will add a bonus 1d6 to Doc's roll. If the combined results are better than a TN 20, Phillips will wake up. Otherwise, he slowly fades out even with all the help from the doctors.



I will post again with a narrative based on the results.

Doc watched the erratic signs on his med sensor, as Phillip's heart violently heaved due to the stimulants that had been given by the medic. He continued to pump but no normal, natural rhythym was happening and Phillips slowly faded away. It took another five minutes before Sherman would stop. The medic beside him clicked off the bio scanner that once flashed with vital signs, and the helmet light within went dark shading the dead man's face.

Sherman leaned back on his heels, awkwardly moving in the bulky EVA suit, but needing to stretch his bent old knees. He was frustrated. He had just lost one of their team mates and he had no idea why. Phillips was young and healthy according to his physical data on the doctor's tricorder. What could have caused him to go into coronary arrest? Doc's mind joked, 'Something must have scared him to death!'

With a look of semi-disgust, Sherman looked over to the non-moved Vulcan who was in deep discussion with the Andorian engineer. Both were completely unaware that Phillips was no longer with them, and he wondered if either really cared.

With a sigh, Doc pulled himself up to his feet and walked over to Telek and Sorek. When the Vulcan didn't immediately notice him, Sherman cleared his throat loudly and announced "He's dead, Sorek." After a pause, the doctor added "We couldn't do anything in the time we had with him sealed in his suit. Cause of death is unknown. There's nothing apparently wrong with him. We'll have to take a closer look back in sick bay."

With that, Doc turned back to his staff, ordering them to get the body back to the shuttle, prepped for transport.

:ooc: I am really getting to like the in post dice roller, rather than the Menu bar dice roller! It creates a bit more suspense for me when I do my posts. Although, I hate it when I do a post with a dice roll, only to find out I really messed up on the words, grammar, or something. Then I have to dump the results and do it all over again - otherwise I get the TAMPER icon! Can't have that! ;)

Sorek looked without expression at Doctor Sherman as he gave his report. A crewmember lost under his orders...Sorek had sent him to his death and they were no closer to finding out if it was the same cause as killed the crew or something else...How many more would he send to die before he figured this puzzle out...? "Thank you, Doctor. I am sure you did everything you could. Prioritize the body's return to the Columbia and have your staff work to find cause of death. It may speak to the risk we are all under here."

He returned his attention to Telek, but could not help stealing a momentary glance at the lifeless suit splayed out on the control room floor. "Lt. Telek, we need immediate access to the botanical atrium. We do not want to vacate it's atmoshpere. Does it have a functioning airlock? If not we will have to establish a temporary one immediately. Please make the necessary preparations."

Sorek toggled his communicator, "Sorek to Columbia. Lt. Phillips has been located with no vital signs. Cause of...death is unknown at this time. We have secured the Botanical Control room and are preparing to advance to the Atrium."

Sorek left those in the small room to their tasks and stepped out into the hall. More bodies. He noticed his EVA suit had compensated with a richer oxygen mix as he focused on returning his breathing to a normal rate. With the security team still posted as directed, he looked as nervously at the atrium door as he did up the dim hallway ahead.

Like Stonn, Sorek was also completely overwhelmed by something that touched his mind. His human side was filled with emotion of love and caring - something that Sorek had spent years subduing. Whatever it was, it gave the impression of nothing but kindness and the desire to help. It tore Sorek up inside as his mind strove to retain his Vulcan stoic logic, and his humanity reaching out in return.

While he wrestled with himself, a voice suddenly spoke in his helmet's comm. It spoke to all of the crewmen that stood close by, "You are welcome to enter. Please come."

The voice was distant, as someone talking in a reverberating hall. It was female. And it was non-threatening... almost gracious.

Sorek struggled to regain control and, again, found his heart racing. He looked around, hoping nobody had noticed and was surprised to see them all reacting to the voice. Had they all heard it? Control. He must regain control.

"Steady up and remember your training. Focus on your tasks. Logic would indicate that an alien entity is trying to coerce our actions. Follow orders or we may all end up as the Merrimac's crew. Lt. Telek. Secure an airlock on the botanical atrium so that we may enter." Sorek hated descending to melodrama to try and make a point, but Starfleet pyschology classes and briefs heralded its limited effectiveness in times of crisis or indecision. He hoped he, above all, could maintain the strength of mind to resist this strange force.

Doc had remained in the control room after sending the medics back to the shuttle with Philips' body. When he heard the voice, he immediatly scanned the other crew in the room to see if the others had heard it. Apparently they had, and Sherman noticed a particularly odd expression on the face of the Vulcan. Was that emotion? For a fleeting moment Sorek looked almost ... happy ... before his usual stoic face returned.

Whatever was here was messing with their minds. The doctor pictured the dead eyes of the young crewman he had seen when they first left the shuttle bay. "I'm not so sure we want to follow those instructions without knowing what's in there, Sorek."

"Doctor Sherman!" Sorek was letting too much emotion into his voice. He paused a moment as he glanced from face to face quickly. He continued in a cold, controlled tone, "Doctor Sherman. Whatever we heard, it was our intention to investigate the atrium from the outset. Lt. Telek will establish an air lock so we don't vent its atmosphere and we will continue with our mission."

The urge to reach out and search for that presence again was overwhelming, but Sorek had spent a lifetime exercising control. Nerves were fraying and he had to keep this mission moving. As soon as the entry to the atrium is secured, Sorek will lead them in.

With an echoed whisper, the voice returned in all of their helmets, "There is no need for an airlock."

To the surprise of both the security crewman and engineer standing by the botanical atrium entrance, the door opened of its own volition. Within was immediately seen large growths of vegetation, larger than anything that would have normally grown. Moisture and heat was also present along with an atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen contained behind some hidden, unknown barrier.

The security crewman slowly reached out his hand until it broke the plane of the entrance - nothing deterred his reach, nor did anything react to his effort.

Doc was still reacting to Sorek's emotional display, when the door opened. Both Columbia officers turned to look and slowly started to walk back towards where Telek's engineer crewman stood.

Sorek stopped in his tracks as the door opened. The crew turned to look to him and he was, for the moment, at a loss. He was about to hail the Captain to advise on their course of action when the message came through from Downer for his ears only:

Quote"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."

He fought down his emotions. The fear. The responsibility. The wonder. Cmdr Grahm? Where was the Captain? "Acknowledged."

There was no time to explain Columbia's predicament. It would not advance their cause here and would only breed further distraction and uncertainty. Their investigative mandate was clear and until they encountered a physical threat he would continue. (But Phillips...what happened to him?)

"We will continue into the atrium. This...voice is an unknown presence that must be guarded against. Pair up and focus on your partner. Keep each other under constant watch and confirm all actions amongst yourself. Crewman, you are with me. Lt. Telek, partner with a security officer and follow me in after a moment. Doctor. Please remain outside...you are the next ranking officer should anything...Let's go."

Sorek stepped into the atrium with the security crewman and immediately activated his suit's tricoder looking for differences from the readings taken outside. Although he would much rather have been holding his phaser as the security officer was.

Sorek's Tricoder check
Science (Life/biology) +6, +2 spec., +5 Tricoder = +13
EVA suit -2, Winded -1 Total: +10


:ooc: Provided, of course, nothing observed or physical would make another action more... logical

Doc was momentarily taken aback by Sorek's ... outburst. This place ... something is very wrong here. He disliked the order to remain behind in the control room, even though this was a wise choice under the circumstances. Doc felt a twinge of fear for the away team members about to enter the atrium, especially under the command of Sorek who was definitely behaving out of character.

"Aye, Commander. I'll wait here and monitor everyone's vitals. But the moment something goes wrong, I want you and the others to pull back."

Sherman prepped his tricorder to display a real time diagnostic for each of the team members who were about to enter the atrium.

Sorek led the team forward, he and the security officer entering the atrium first. His tricorder began to take environmental readings as their eyes took in the sights.

They were standing on the second tier catwalk of the botanical room, its high-rounded ceiling still another thirty feet above them. Though plants still grew, they were grossly oversized and unnatural. Vines that would normally be as thick as a rope hung from rafters and braces with the circumfrence of trees. The metal catwalk had been bent and distorted by the weight of some of the vegetation that grew up through, or rested on the frames.

The science officer read his tricorder. The atmosphere was roughly 60% nitrogen and 40% oxygen and temperatures were maintained in the 90's. It was then that the security guard tapped on Sorek's suit. He looked to where the crewman stood at the edge of the catwalk, looking down to the lower level of the atrium and followed his gaze. The science officer raised an eyebrow as he saw a multi-faceted object that was suspended in the air, rotating. What also caught his attention was the human starfleet officer that sat by the aesthetic, but artificial stream that ran in the center of the chamber, staring back up at them.

Sorek motioned to the crewman to keep his weapon lowered as he took a step closer to look down at the 'entity'. Oh, it was guised as a Starfleet officer, but until Sorek had some proof he would treat it differently. If it was a crewmember, certainly he had been altered in some manner that may pose a threat. In any case, there was knowledge to be gained here.

"Hello. I am Commander Sorek of the USS Columbia. Your ship has been damaged and we are here to offer assistance. Can you tell me what has happened here?" Best not to relay the extent of the damage or the fate of the crew at this time, he thought, "Are there others here with you?"

Sorek focused his tricoder on the form, working quickly to isolate the background. He wanted to confirm first, that what he saw was true. Hard scientific facts to back up the visual. Secondly, he tried to get a reading of some sort on the other object.

"Hello Commander Sorek, it is a wonderful pleasure to meet you." The lips of the starfleet officer moved but the voice was from far away, hollow and echo-ey, as if in a grand hall. Maybe it only spoke within their minds, but the unnatural sound and visual of the woman mouthing the words caused the security crewman's skin to crawl. The woman continued, "We... I... am Lt. Commander Blair Jones and I am here to assist you."

Again it was as if the voice came from an elsewhere, but now readings on the figure began to run across Sorek's tricorder. There was a definite living energy contained within the body that was once Lt. Commander Blair Jones, but the Vulcan could see that the body itself was most assuredly dead. The pallor of the skin; the slack hang of naturally taut musculature; and the fact that there was no standard biological activity within the woman's body, such as a heartbeat. The security crewman held his phaser at his side, but he clenched it tighter still as the ghoulish looking woman continued to convey her message.

Sorek began to move towards, and then down the spiral-metal staircase - the crewman walking hesitantly behind him. They circled down until they alighted on the vegetation-covered floor of the atrium. Sorek had received more readings via his tricorder - a magnificent spectrum of light energy. X-rays, ultra-violet rays, gamma rays, and visible light that were at levels that should have killed any living organism in the room, but were instead bent and re-formatted into new ways that shielded and even stimulated the life contained. In essence, it was like the natural light rays were altered and had became a super-food for the plant's photosynthesis - thus the strange over-growth.

The Vulcan looked at the large, multi-faceted constuct that hung in the air and wheeled of its own accord, in the center of the room. Sorek knew the object was the source - or at least the focus of the power present.

Suddenly, from above came Doc Sherman's alarmed voice. The physician had become impatient and entered the atrium with Telek, the other security crewman, and his fellow medics.

Sorek maintained a practiced calm as he carefully logged his readings and slowly advanced. He glanced intently at the security crewman to try and capture his eyes - a reassuring Vulcan glance that he hoped would calm him. Doctor Sherman's voice disturbed the calm. "Hello, Doctor Sherman. This is Lt. Cmdr. Blair Jones. She has offered to aid us in the exploration of her atrium. Truly fascinating plant species. Wouldn't you agree, Doctor?"

"Are you alone in here, Commander Jones? The Doctor noticed some injured personnel in the corridor and your ship is damaged, which attracted our attention. We would like to offer any aid that we can provide."

Jones was pretty, or had been when her body was truly alive. Now it seemed an automaton like out of the classic Earth tale, Frankenstein. Now that they were closer, the security officer could see that the woman's eyes were open, but they did not move, nor did they blink. She tried to give expression to the face but it was weak and so the smile came off more as a grimace.

"We have taken this form to better communicate with you, but I can see that something is wrong. You find it unpleasant. Have we done something wrong?"

From above the garden, on the catwalk, Doc could see that there were other crewmen bodies littered about the atrium. The plants had grown up and over them obscuring most. These were the survivors of the U.S.S. Merrimac - all had huddled here when the ship was damaged and slowly died. It was awful.

"Humph ... fascinating", Doc grunted sarcastically in response to Sorek's question. The sight of all the dead crew, who likely suffered horribly as the life support on their ship slowly failed, sickened the physician. This 'thing' had murdered all these people and now Philips as well, and it wondered if it had done something wrong.

Doc continued to monitor all present, adding the 'entity' to his scan to see if he could discern something about it. It wasn't biological, which meant this was likely a job for the engineers rather than a medic, but it couldn't hurt to gather as much information as possible.

"There is no need for charade. If you wish to communicate you may do so in your incorporeal form. It is discomforting to see the dead of our species animated. This ship has been missing for some time and our mission is one of investigation...and discovery. We want to understand what happened to this ship...and this crew." Sorek turned away from the body of the Lt. Commander and refused even to address the spinning object. He turned slowly through a circle as he talked, observing the room and the away team for any subtle changes or oddities.

"Pardon the discomfort," said the entity. "It is not our wish to cause discomfort to you, but it is not within our abilities to renew the life of this carbon-based flesh. We only wished to provide a means to communicate with you so that we may help in your passage." She looked at her hands and her arms, "It is strange but I can still remember this form. I remember when we... I was... Lt. Commander Blair Jones... before the damage. Before the attacks. Before they came to save us."

Sorek's ears picked it up and he quickly glanced at the woman. What had she said? He had heard it before. It was the same voice that they had heard on the bridge of the Columbia... when Downer had been listening to the sounds that eminated from the Katyon Cluster... from the stars.

Doc read his tricorder. He was absolutely correct in his assumptions. There was nothing alive about the form below, in a human sense. But his tricorder did pick up the immense energy reading that was standing before Sorek. The tricorder began to detail the entity - it was a form of intelligent plasma that was giving off dangerously high levels of ultra-violet radiation, although he was getting no warning signs. In fact, the high-level radiation exerted was being altered and transferred into healthy rays of light and heat. As the energy stars of the Cluster was being refracted around the derelict Merrimac, in this chamber it was being focused. The super-light is what had increased the plant life and thus the oxygen and nitrogen built up to high leves within the chamber. It could have sustained the surviving crew - food from the vegatation, air, and apparent warmth - all focused around the object floating in the center of the room.

The doctor made some mental calculations. The Mac had been gone for sometime, but these people could have survived in here. Why were they dead? And why did she say they saved us?

Doc moved forward to stand beside Sorek, holding out the tricorder for the Commander to see. "Are you getting the same readings as I am? If the ship lost power a while back, these people could have lived in here for quite some time ... because of that." He gestured towards the floating object. Looking around the chamber, Sherman asked no one in particular, "So why are they dead now?"

Sherman tuned his tricorder on the nearest body, initiating a full diagnostic. Why indeed?

The doctor's statement made the entity that had been Jones turn, "There has been no death here." Her echoey, calm voice continued, "You believe them dead only due to the stopping of their carbon-based body. My fellow shipmates and I have moved on. We were saved from death by the Kaytons. They came when the Merrimac had been wounded. They came when our life support was bleeding out into space. They provided this..." she gestured to the multi-faceted sphere.

"Is it some form of protective shield?" asked Telek.

Blair nodded, "Of sorts. It provides a comforting environment for us until we are ready to making the crossing... until you are ready to pass through. It is a gateway."

The doctor's tricorder began to feed him information on the dead body that lay close by, entangled in the vegetation. Save for the decomposition, which was quite slow, there was no evidence as to why the person died. The body showed no signs of disease, sickness, or emaciation from hunger. There was no sign of heart failure, or constriction of the lungs and muscles from the loss of air. It was as if the body just stopped.

Sherman looked to Jones and thoughts entered his mind, "Did the crewman's life stop, or leave?"

Sorek confirmed the readings between his and Doc's tricoders. He continued to monitor readings as he talked, "Crossing? That sounds like leaving this place. Why not just sustain life until a rescue ship arrived? The plant life in this atrium is certainly healthy. Why not just let them live here? Life as our species knows it. Our ship has experienced trouble of an unknown sort. We are well-protected and not in danger. Is this the doing of the Kaytons? We dot wish for any help as we are not in danger."

"From what we have learned through our interactions with your species we know that from the onset of your existence that your carbon-based bodies are dying. It degenerates even as it grows only to degenerate faster at the terminus of your being. Then even you do not know whence your essence goes. The Kaytons see this degeneration as a disease for which they are willing to help, and thus they created this." Again the animated Blair gestured towards the floating sphere. Then it was as if the woman that was emerged in the speech - no longer referring to herself in the plural, "They offered everything that we set as our primary mission - to boldly go. To explore strange new worlds and new existences. I could not help but want to find out what it was they offered. The Merrimac was a dead ship. The plants you see now were not like this then. Our atmosphere was gone along with the radiation shielding. Only this option was available to us, and oh..." she paused, although whatever expression the body tried to make failed in its lax state, "what an amazing world did I enter."

She looked to Sorek, "Now they have come to help you. They have maintained the sphere for all who might wish to come."

Telek answered, "But as Mr. Sorek has said, we are not in danger. Our ship has not been compromised as had yours. What happened to the Merrimac?"

Blair looked to the Andorian, "We were engaged. The captain had given orders to investigate a small planetoid that orbits this cluster. Our mission had been to patrol the sector and deter all Orion pirate activity. Three ships set upon us and we fought back. The Merrimac was successful in destroying two and driving the third away. But the pirates were also successful in robbing us of our engines. Soon after the ship was damaged more severely as we were struck by small and large asteroids. That is when they came. They offered aid and protection." Again the gesture towards the sphere. "At first we did not understand. At first we tried to survive without them. But soon it was apparent that we could not. It was my order that led the remaining crew into this chamber. Most came to understand. We each made our transition when the courage was attained. Some resisted. I do not know what came of them."

Sorek interjected. A hint of passion crept into his voice, "But again, we are not in danger. If given a choice we would choose to live out our lives in the bodies we are in now. Perhaps at the end of our natural life. The end of this...this...disease the Kaytons call it, maybe then it would be more palatable. But now we have a choice and it is ours as sentient beings to make. Again, our ship indicated trouble. Is this the doings of the Kaytons? We demand to live our life as we choose and not have the will of others imposed on us."

These people just let themselves be 'taken' away by this thing. What made them give up the fight to live? Maybe they're not really dead after all, just  ... suspended. Doc gritted his teeth and harnessed his rising frustration. In their current situation, it would not help to lose control. He addressed the entity, "If these people were allowed to 'move on' with the help of this device, could it be used to bring them back? We are here to help now, to return them to their former lives if they want it."

Jones looked at the doctor, "There is no coming back. What would we come back to?" She gestured towards all of the decayed bodies that littered the room. The animated corpse suddenly glanced up towards the ceiling of the botanical chamber, as if looking at, or feeling something. Blair then looked at Sorek, "They come again. It may soon be necessary for your crossing..."

She turned away and moved back over to where the stone was, sitting down upon it. "Your ship indicated trouble? The Kaytons have done nothing to create trouble or ill will towards your people. They live in harmony with each other and all other life." Again she fell silent, as if listening, and then, "The gateway to our realm was opened. Our forms were changed to become living energy. Unfortunately, it is the ill will of some of your kind that is also present and the Kaytons do not understand them. They were given leave to migrate to the new realm, but some did not."

"Again, what if we don't want to go? You say the time of our crossing is near. Who are the Kaytons to determine how we will live our lives? To force this change on a being against their will is not harmony, it is barbaric. It is slavery. These Kaytons seem to only want to conquer. To assimilate all life into copies of themselves. We will fight Lieutenant Commander Jones. We will fight back as your crew was unable to. As any Starfleet officer would have wanted to."

Sorek tried to stir emotion in the being to which he spoke. Was there anything of Lt. Cmdr. Jones left in there? Was there any spark that could give a clue to how they might act against these beings?

Quote from: tomcat on Oct 23, 2010, 06:45 AM
Jones looked at the doctor, "There is no coming back. What would we come back to?" She gestured towards all of the decayed bodies that littered the room.

Following the gesture of the entity, Sherman surveyed the remains. His wishful need to bring back the others was, of course, out of the question. Where indeed would they go? "Are these people still 'alive' at all? Can we communicate with them? Or only through you? For all we know, their life force has simply fed your existence ... You have 'eaten' them to sustain yourself."

:ooc: sorry this reply is likely a bit out of order

To the doctor, Jones answered, "They all live. They all live within a new realm of existence." Then she turned to Sorek, "And they all went of their own free will. Some resisted. Some hated that life was at an end. Hated that their world as they knew it, would no longer be their own. Still they passed through so that they could survive, though they did not come with us. The Kaytons do not understand hatred or anger. They cannot fathom these emotions and so those that made the transfer, who harbored such thoughts, found a new existence but were not accepted." She looked away, as if something spoke to her or like she saw something, then she turned back to Sorek and Sherman. "I promise you Commander Sorek, the Kaytons are not here to take you, but offer you refuge. They are not here to assimilate species into their kind. They offer a chance for life to continue. You will not be forced to pass, nor will you be made to fight, but you will be offered a safe harbor from the slow decay of your current carbon-based form. I must go now... I am not sure that I may return... or that you will be here for us to communicate again."

The body of Blair Jones fell to the floor in a horrific heap as the presence within it departed. The Columbia crew stood in silence, the shimmering light of the object bathing the botanical atrium.

Sorek stood unsure for a moment. So much he could not control or affect. What of the Columbia? What was the situation there? What if this message from the Kaytons was true - that they were peaceful? What if these rogue entities were the crewmembers who resisted? Ones trapped in this altered state of existence? It was a theory.

"Doctor, if what we were told is true, could those who resisted the sanctuary offered still be here in an altered state of matter? Could the crewmembers have been transformed to some energy-based lifeform and left behind? Something killed Phillips. Let's regroup in the hangar and use our equipment only to try and identify such an occurrence. This atrium isn't...natural. I must contact the Captain."

Sorek quickly retreated to the hallway. He was surprised at the relief he felt at leaving the botanical atrium. The hall was sterile, more understandable. He keyed his communicator to the Columbia, "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?"

"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."

Stonn's orders rang through clear to the vulcan science officer and it was also received by other personnel aboard the Mac. The Galileo pilot called over his shoulder to the engineering crewmen, "All right, we have orders to bug out and to do it quick! Start re-loading and stowing all of your gear and get your personnel back inside. I am vacuuming the craft until everyone is back aboard so button up your EVA's."

Outside Galileo 042, the engineering personnel who were working on the Aladdin looked at one another. There was still no way to get the larger shuttlecraft off the deck, so it would have to be abandoned, at least until whatever the emergency was had ended. They left her sit where she was and began packing up their tools and moving towards the one operational shuttle on the Merrimac. As they did, they called and beckoned to the medical and science personnel to get back to the hangar.

Sorek ordered an orderly retreat to the hangar bay and watched for signs of distress that might manifest in any of the crew with him. He ordered the security ensigns to bring Phillips' body with along with them. The away team was trained for this. They would respond appropriately and efficiently. Sorek did a quick calculation on the number of personnel on the Merrimac and the amount of emergency space available in the shuttle. If it was impossible to fit them all, he would be one of the ones to remain behind.

Doc squeezed himself through the door after the final away team member found a place in the crowded shuttle. It was a tight fit, and they were just going to make it. He turned around to face the door. Only Sorek stood outside, surveying the crowded interior. Doc caught a look in the commander's eye, and stated flatly "Oh no you don't. Nobody gets left behind on this dead ship." With a heave, the doctor shoved a couple of his medical staff further in, who tried not to grunt their disapproval too loudly when they saw that it was their commanding officer doing the pushing. Once space was made, Doc reached out for Sorek, pulling him inside and pressing the door control at the same time. "There we go. No problem." grunted Sherman, his medical bag pressing uncomfortably into his side.

With the shuttle tightly loaded with all personnel, and now environmentally sealed, the pilot activated the ship's atmosphere and commenced the launch. Doc waited for the cabin green light to illuminated and then opened his EVA's face plate. It was good to breath air that hadn't been recycled through his suit's scrubbers over the last few hours.

All those standing grasped for hand holds, as the Galileo shuttle jostled in its launch and exit from the tail end of the Merrimac. It was only moments before the ship was free from the derelict and racing the distance to where the Columbia orbited slowly. A voice came over the interior intercom, "Gallileo 042, we have your track and the hangar is ready for immediate landing. Tractors will assist when you are in range, Columbia out."

"Acknowledged," was the quiet answer from the pilot.

Standing beside Doc and Sorek was the Andorian engineer, Telek. He spoke in a hushed tone, "It's a shame that we did not have more time with Jones. If she is really one of us, transformed into a new form of life, it would have been fascinating to learn more of what she now knows, or sees."

Sorek considered Telek's comments for a few moments, "Discovery and knowledge is our primary mission, Lt. Telek. It may have been fascinating to interact with these beings more, but the team and our ship is in danger. We may yet have a chance to find out more. We have plenty of hard data to analyse."

"Yes, sir," replied Telek. He went silent.

Sorek nodded to Telek and looked around the crowded shuttle. A strange away mission to be sure and not wholly successful. Why even Lt. Telek seemed to share the sense of regret at underperforming in their duty. If they had more time and did not have the support problems from the Columbia perhaps they could have investigated further...But the physical problems of the Merrimac were the least of its problems. It would be interesting to correlate the data from their portable sensors with that collected by the Columbia. Hopefully there would be time to do so once they returned.

Sorek gave his head an imperceptible shake. He was lost in his thoughts again. He continued to sit straight and show the crewmembers the deportment of a Starfleet Officer. He scanned the faces again with what he hoped was a comforting look.

A sour look crossed Doc's face. "Jones wasn't transformed into anything. She was murdered like the rest of them. That thing was just using her body to communicate with us." Turning to Sorek, the doctor's face turned more thoughtful. "You know Sorek, I've never thought much about an afterlife or wherever it is our souls go after death, but I definitely get the impression that whatever should have happened to the crew of the Merrimac after they died was interrupted by that thing we saw in the atrium. I wonder if the only way to properly send those folks on their way will be to destroy that device."