SCENE 2 - U.S.S. Merrimac

[sdrotar]

"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.

[tomcat]

Anderson's navigation test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
TN 20 Cluster Mod +5 = 25 Sys Ops +11, Specialty +2 = +13
-------------------------

Rolled 2d6+13 : 1, 6 + 13, total 20

Pushkin's helm test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
TN 20 Cluster Mod +5 = 25 Sys Ops +13, Specialty +2, Columbia mod +1 = +16
-------------------------

Rolled 2d6+16 : 5, 4 + 16, total 25

Grahm's deflector test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
TN 10 Cluster Mod +6 = 16 Sys Ops +13, Specialty +2, Columbia mod +3 = +18
-------------------------

Rolled 2d6+18 : 3, 1 + 18, total 22

Marshal's sensor test [to depart from Medium range of the Cluster]
TN 10 Cluster Mod +4 = 14 Sys Ops +10, Specialty +2 = +12
-------------------------

Rolled 2d6+12 : 5, 3 + 12, total 20

[tomcat]

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)

Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

[tomcat]

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!"

[sdrotar]

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.

[BrianM]

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

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

Rolled 2d6+17 : 3, 1 + 17, total 21

[tomcat]

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

[tomcat]

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...



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.