Gateway

[tomcat]

On the Columbia, John Grahm met up with eight of his security crewmen and led them cautiously forward to the doors that entered the ship's arboretum - one of the team handed their commander a phaser. Like most larger ships in the Federation fleet, areas of each ship included some form of flora/fauna from the primary crew species homeworld. Usually it was based on where the ship's keel was laid, but it allowed for crewmen and women to go where they could feel like they were back home and relieve some of the stress that came with long space assignments. It also allowed for natural replacement of oxygen, fresh fruits and vegetables, and for the sciences to study the effects of space travel on vegetation. Now the arboretum had become a place of shadows and light.

The lead security crewman tapped the control that caused the door into the chamber to open and immediately they all shielded their eyes. Bright light glowed from within and flashed as if its source rapidly rotated. Within the center of the room hung the gateway/shield that had once been within the Merrimac. It was the first time Grahm had seen it and he was immediately concerned. He ordered his men to stay out of the large botanical chamber, while he took a step just through the door. He did not see the shades around him, though he felt something was watching him with intent. Grahm backed out and activated the wall comm, "Bridge, whatever was on board the Mac is here now. I have security officers at each entrance. No one is getting in, but I am not sure what can get out."

[sdrotar]

"Nor am I, Mr. Grahm," Stonn replied through the panel. "Please hold the position as well as possible. I am commencing scans and will update you shortly. Captain out."
He focused his scans on the area, expecting that within the ship, the results would be more detailed and precise than they were across the interference of the Cluster.

[tomcat]

I will have an update on this game sometime tonight or tomorrow. I am currently creating the dark entities. 

[tomcat]

Still working on the shades...

[tomcat]

Stonn sensor scan
Sys Op (sensors) +9, spec +2, Command mod +2, well-equipped +5
Roll(2d6)+18: 6,5,+18 Total:29



Stonn had the Columbia's sensors do a thorough internal scan of the ship. Primarily that of the arboretum and both the energy source that was now within and the entities that were moving about his ship.

The Vulcan patiently waited as the sensors evaluated every aspect and spectrum of energy and matter that the subjects might be. It took fifteen minutes. Stonn's mind was deeply pondering the whole situation when he was interrupted by a voice. He blinked in... frustration? No, he was a Vulcan and had complete control over his emotions. But Stonn had not yet attained Kolinahr and he had been amongst these Humans for some time now, perhaps it was having an ill effect.

He opened his eyes and listened to the voice that now spoke, "Sir, two messages." It was Lt. Downer. "Pushkin has communicated that he and his passenger are making the transit now and Commander Grahm is wanting to know if you are ready for him to proceed within the Arboretum."

Data began to scroll up on Stonn's screen. His brilliant mind began to multi-task - both studying the information and planning an answer to his communications officer. The information on the screen made him whisper, "Fascinating."

"What, sir?" came the voice behind him.



Shawn, the data is broken up into two subjects. It would be displayed more elaborately and in computer-ese, but this is the basic gist that Stonn reads:

Sphere

• Made of pure energy [speculate plasma or maybe photons] that has been contained to the point that it has taken on the structure of matter.
• Energy output is 10 to the 34th power joules [equivlaent theoretical total energy output of a star]
• Observed functions: radiation shielding; atmosphere containment
• Speculative functions based on energy available and structural makeup: gateway [identical to transporter function of matter breakdown and rearrangement]; communicator; replicator [identical to ship replicator function of matter breakdown and rearrangement - capable of reassigning atomic structure of gases, solids and liquids]; near infinite power source

Entities

• Made of pure energy [speculate plasma or maybe photons] although it is in inverse relation to standard energy output, meaning instead of light it is dark, speculate evil instead of good [this is conjecture]
• based on current data input: parasitic; psionic; violent; dangerous; murderous
• can present itself stationary but must have energy conduit to travel
• Amorphous; physical resistance; radiation

[tomcat]

All right! After two years, I finally have an official write-up of our primary antagonists!

[sdrotar]

"It appears that the entities use this energy sphere as a gateway from wherever they originated," Stonn said to no one in particular. "Further study of their technology might advance the Federation's by centuries."

He said the last bit with what humans might consider regret -- he knew that the doorway must be closed; sooner rather than later if they were to survive. Fortunately, the nature of the sphere indicated that it must be stable to retain its properties, and likely its ability to allow the invading entities to transit through it. Stonn suspected that disrupting the energy sphere enough could destabilize it, perhaps removing it from their plane of existence.

But even Stonn was perplexed -- how could the Columbia manage to disrupt the energy of a star?

"Please tell Mr. Grahm to hold position," he ordered Downer.

Stonn thumbed the communicator on the panel and ordered Sciences to focus on applicable theories of stellar disruption while he worked on his own hypotheses.

Stonn will focus on using (or possibly cutting) Columbia's power in order to disrupt the energy transmission of the sphere, using the ship's computer and sensors to determine any sort of weakness within it.

[tomcat]

Since his return from the Merrimac, Lt. Commander Sorek had taken his station back from Mr. Marshal and was making his own observations of the data which his captain studied. "Agreed, Captain, but I don't believe it is a gateway for these dark entities aboard our ship. From our observations on the Merrimac and our communication with the Kaytons, the sphere is a gateway for us. The animated corpse of Lt. Jones explained that the sphere 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 Vulcan had eidetic memory and spoke the exact words that had been phrased by the creature. He continued, "From what we have been told, the dark entities are those that unwillingly passed through this gateway or did so with ill-emotions. Their forms have been reconstituted to allow for them to merge with this unknown form of life, but they harbor ill will and are not accepted by the Kaytons. It is still very hard to understand. One more thing, the sphere was generated by the Kaytons to help the survivors of the Merrimac who were destined to die due to the ship's condition. It was a life-preserver, so to speak. The question is, why is it now on the Columbia? Our ship is quite sound."

Sorek next looked at the sensor display that showed the outline of the Columbia and the inicated points that were the entities and the sphere. "Perhaps these beings try to destroy this sphere, or maybe they guard against its further use on any or our own people. As the ship's computer states, it is conjecture at this point. We either need to try and communicate with these dark forces, or to try once more to speak with the Kaytons."

The science officer wondered if it wise to try and make contact with the dark entities, after all they had killed crewmen. If they were dark emotion, or hatred, what would happen to any that made contact?

[sdrotar]

Stonn remembered his contact with the "dark entities"; it was something he would rather forget.
"Contact with the invaders is not advised," he said simply. "If we could contact the Kaytons, perhaps we could figure out a way to close the gateway... and take the invaders with it."

He relinquished the science station to Sorek and sat in the captain's chair.
"Take whatever resources you need to initiate contact, Mr. Sorek."

[tomcat]

"Yes, Captain," was the junior officers response. Sorek thought about the situation and decided he needed some additional insight from his fellows. He stubbed his finger into the communication activator and spoke, "Doctor Sherman and Chief Ramos, this is Lt. Commander Sorek, could you please meet me in the briefing room on deck two?"

The science officer made his way to the corridor that led off the bridge. There was no sense waiting and then taking the turbolift down when there was a stairwell right there. Behind him, Sorek did not hear Dylan say, "Captain Stonn, I have activity being reported within the captain's quarters."

[sdrotar]

Stonn pursed his lips at the last part. He had not yet bothered to have his things moved into the quarters; the ship's previous captain had been removed so quickly that Stonn had not seen fit to order his belongings packed and shipped back to him.

However, entering the quarters was clearly off-limits for any crewman.

"Mr. Downer," he said, "please send two security officers to detain whoever has entered for questioning."
He thought about the entities, and their ability to control others -- and added to his order.
"Tell them to set their phasers on heavy stun."

I'm sensing comedy...

[tomcat]

Downer did as ordered and the ship's security department was notified. Even though he was occupied, Grahm was relayed the message through his chain of command and he looked puzzled at the communicator. With no clarification as to who, or what, may have entered the command officer's quarters, John decided that he would make a quick run up the one level to meet his security personnel. The tactical commander looked at his highest ranking man that stood outside the arboretum, "I will be right back. Do not let anyone enter the arboretum."

"Understood," was the nodded reply.

Grahm made a quick run down a corridor, hooked a right then another and made it to a turbolift. It took a moment but the lift was there and then it was a rapid trip one deck up and the doors opened just left of the captain's quarters. John saw his two men walking up the corridor and signaled for them to follow him. He was already armed and he clicked the phaser to heavy stun. The three men approached the doors and Grahm hit the activation.

With a woosh, the doors opened and John and his two security officers raced inside with phasers at the ready.

Three decks up, Sorek finished bringing up the data from the ship's scans along with the data they had gathered while on the Merrimac. He sat down in front of the console and waited for Ramos and Sherman to arrive.



Just to remind, Sherman is your second character, Matt - and Ramos is yours, Shawn.

[sdrotar]

Ramos reported to the briefing room, still a bit perplexed by what was happening in the arboretum.
With the power generated by the sphere, he had detected no significantly dangerous heat or any other energies that might be destructive to the ship's superstructure.

Whatever was happening, it was generated by a species with engineering knowledge that far surpassed anything he knew about.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Darkan was startled but fortunately not enough to drop the picture.  Turning to the "intruders", "Isn't it customary to knock before entering or have we foregone all manner of civility out here in the wild?"

[tomcat]

"C-captain Darkan?" was the only thing that escaped from Grahm's mouth, his face a look of absolute surprise. The Tactical Officer began to lower his readied phaser and then remembered the dark entities that were on the ship. They had misled other crewmen - some to their deaths. The phaser came back up and his eyebrows furrowed, "Forgive me, sir, but you were left on Earth about two months ago. I need to know your security clearance code... now, sir."

Darkan was surprised at the quick change in his friend and fellow officer's demeanor, and saw that he was deadly serious. On either side of Grahm, the security personnel followed their superior officer's lead.