Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2005 22:38:54 GMT
"Commander.... Commander it's time to wake up.", Holli said trying to rouse CMDRfc Disasterman from his sleep after the surgery was finished.
Commander Disasterman slowly woke up from the surgery. Still a little groggy he asked Holli for a mirror so he could see what had been done to his Wadeleon face. There in the mirror looking back at him was definitely something different. There in the center of his forehead was an antenna that reminded him of the Andorian antenna, except there was only one.Below that was what look like a Klingon ridge that flowed into what looked like a Bajoran nose ridge. The color of the skin was a pale green which might help him later on if he had to use the chameleon part of his heritage and sneak into a camp to spy on the locals. He turned his head to try and see some different angles and that is when he noticed on the right side what looked to be Trill spots.
"Very good work Holli. I want you to be on standby in case something happens and we bring back some injuries."
"Aye, Commander. You and the rest of the guys be careful down there. I don't need to remind you that this is a new culture and we don't know how anything down there will react to all of you."
Commander Disasterman stopped by the clothing replicator and got the clothes he would need for the surface. For the most part they looked just like any other civilian clothes that you see on most Federation planets. After changing into these clothes and grabbing his phaser and tricorder, Disasterman headed down to the shuttle. After taking his seat at the front of the shuttle, he told Damion that they were ready to go. After getting clearance from the bridge, the shuttle left the Black Tulip and headed down to the coordinates that Disasterman had picked out. The flight was rather quick due to the fact that they needed to get to the surface as quick as possible so as not to be detected. They landed with no problem in a gully about 4 clicks away from two of the strange power sources.
"Commander Disasterman to Admiral Elron, Shuttle Prometheus has landed safely. We will be heading out to the anomaly we tagged as way point one in about 30 minutes. I really want to give a quick once over and then head to way point two and see if there are any differences. If there aren't any, we will split into two teams and study both structures to the best of our ability. If there are differences, we will come back to one and get all info we can before going back to two. The nearest structure past these two are a good 30 clicks away so it would take us a good part of the day to get there unless we used the shuttle, and I wouldn't suggest doing that since there is no real cover to hide the shuttle in."
Admiral Elron, sitting on the command bridge, mulled over what Disasterman had just told him and said..........
<Tag Elron, anyone>
|
|
wolfflywheel
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by wolfflywheel on Sept 14, 2005 11:12:32 GMT
Flywheel listened with incredible detail and accuracy as he was recording for the logs all the communications. His hearing was very good, even for a Romulan, Romulans are born with hearing which is along the same lines as humans, so that could be described as rather mediocre, but he had hearing which was far better, Romulans train their hearing through glasses at all education levels, they are trained to hear certain sounds and focus hearing.
Back on the bridge the mission was going to plan the shuttle had landed and the commander of the away team was trying to find somewhere to hide the shuttle and make sure was satisfactory and 100% at that stage of the mission, Admiral Elron on the bridge of the USS Black Tulip was listening with eagerness and making notes, he hadn't responded so Flywheel continued with his job, making sure his department was read, but also making sure the liaison between his department and others was at 100%, without Liaison a ship would not function. Especially when emotions ruled the ship, like they did in the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet.
Flywheel was scanning the area around the shuttle trying to find cover, the problem was he had less detail than the away team, so his efforts really were quite useless, but this of course meant nothing any way he could help would be of some use, so he continued scanning and scanning and trying to boost scanners, this perhaps could be a long term task, trying to find a way to boost scanners, perhaps via a shuttle, using the shuttle as a relay, and that way the shuttle could be the booster for the far more powerful starship sensors.
Flywheel: < Flywheel to Lt Cloak, i am sending some scenarios for boostign sensors, could you try them out in the holodeck to see what the probbaility of them working is?>
Cloak: <Yes of course sir>
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Sept 16, 2005 10:37:24 GMT
The CO sat in silence as he watched the shuttle descend to the planet, following the carefully prepared course Bema and Wolf had laid out for it. It didn't take long for the shuttle to reach its destination though, and the First Officer's voice was soon confirming their arrival. =/\= Commander Disasterman to Admiral Elron, Shuttle Prometheus has landed safely. We will be heading out to the anomaly we tagged as way point one in about 30 minutes. I really want to give a quick once over and then head to way point two and see if there are any differences. If there aren't any, we will split into two teams and study both structures to the best of our ability. If there are differences, we will come back to one and get all info we can before going back to two. =/\=Elron listened to Disasterman's plan of action and nodded in silent agreement. =/\= The nearest structure past these two are a good 30 clicks away so it would take us a good part of the day to get there unless we used the shuttle, and I wouldn't suggest doing that since there is no real cover to hide the shuttle in. =/\=Elron gave this some thought, but the answer was obvious. "You'll have to make your way on foot, Commander. You're right - there's no way we can possibly risk using the shuttle down on the planet, nor should we use transporters under the circumstances. Until we know more about what's going on, you have to behave exactly like a local inhabitant."=/\= Agreed. We're ready to move out immediately, unless there's anything else we need to know? =/\="I don't think so, so long as you've got your ear-pieces in. We'll only try to contact you in emergencies, but Wolf will make sure we transmit our signal to your ear-pieces and wait for you to reply when it's safe to talk. The last thing you need is a voice coming from your pack!" Elron laughed as he added this last sentence. "Good luck, Commander."=/\= Disasterman out. =/\=Elron rose from his seat with the intention of retiring to his ready room until the away team got back in contact. As he did so though, Wolf had something he wanted to say. "I'm working on ways of boosting our sensors. I might be able to use the shuttle's systems as a signal relay to boost our own scans.""Good thinking, Lieutenant. Keep me posted. I'll be in my ready room for a while. Cmdr Saberywn - you have the bridge."Sitting in his usual position - leaning right back in the chair with his feet up on the desk - Elron struggled to write his draft report to Starfleet. He would write a full report with details once the mission was over, but he found it helpful to draft sections during the mission; it kept things fresh in his memory. He reviewed what he had written in his Captain's log so far… "With the QSD approved by Starfleet Operations, the Black Tulip has been sent out on a mission of deep- space exploration. We're to be one of the first Federation starships to chart the unexplored heart of the Beta Quadrant for many years. The remarkable speed and range afforded us by the QSD gives us the ability to get to and chart these regions in far less time than it would take any other vessel.
Early in our mission we located a planetary system that had many of the characteristics believed to be conducive to the development of complex organic life. Further investigation has shown that one of the planets does indeed harbour intelligent humanoid life; a pre-warp culture that has yet to develop any kind of space travel or advanced technology but is in the beginning of an industrial revolution. Despite the comparitively primative state of the planet's dominant species - recent observations place them at Tech Level III - we have since discovered surprising indications of inexplicably advanced technology on the planet. The indigenous peoples are protected to the fullest extent by the Prime Directive, but the chances of them developing technology on this level by themselves are remote, so we're discretely attempting to investigate the source of these readings. Without proper safety protocols, technology of the nature we seem to have detected can be extremely dangerous. An away team has been assembled and sent down to the planet, surgically altered by our EMH to resemble the native people."Well… it was a start, he thought to himself. It obviously wasn't to the standard required of a full debriefing, but he had plenty of time to improve upon it and he really wasn't in the mood for writing just now. He was too preoccupied by thoughts as he waited to hear what Disasterman would discover. This people were pretty unremarkable in most respects, so far. Their physical appearance was an interesting mix of features that was reminiscent of many Alpha Quadrant species, but nothing they hadn't seen before. There was every likelihood that they'd have some fascinating cultural features though, and Elron hoped the away team would manage to remain inconspicuous as they carried out their reconnaissance. =/\= Admiral Elron, please report to the bridge =/\= came the voice of Bema, interrupting his thoughts. He wondered whether the away team had found something to report, or whether Wolf had managed to boost sensors and found something of interest himself. They were still trying to gather basic data on this species, such as their total population size, their styles of government, the diversity of cultures within the species and the types of flora, fauna and geology that they survived alongside. Some of this data could take an indefinite amount of time to discover and long-term studies would obviously be needed before real details could be known about any of these things, but it was surprising what Federation scientists could pick up in a short space of time. [TAG: all] [OFF]: The progress of the story doesn't depend a great deal on any physical or cultural aspect of the local people, so you have considerable freedom to invent some really interesting and fun features. This freedom is extended to those still on the ship as well as those on the planet, since we can monitor things from above and gather our own data. Although I do have a clear direction and outcome in mind for this mission, you don't have to worry about saying something that might upset my plans. If anything did conflict with what I was planning I'd either find a way to work round out, change my plans or ask you to modify your post slightly. The main thing is that you're able to have fun and exercise your imagination into the bargain! Sorry if I'm a bit quiet, but I'm starting back at uni and getting myself organised. I hope to be able to post regularly from next week.
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Sept 29, 2005 12:09:55 GMT
Admiral Elron walked out onto the bridge. Lieutenant Commander Saberwyn was already sitting at the conn, so he was able to plant himself into the command chair without delay. "What's up, Bema?" he asked casually, hiding the true extent of his curiosity.
"Commander Disasterman reports they're nearing the first designated structure. Tricorder readings have confirmed the presence of nucleonic radiation and Omicron emissions."
"Have they encountered any locals?" Elron asked.
"There does appear to be a small population nearby, but he didn't mention any encounters. He didn't seem able to talk for long, or else I'm sure he would have spoken to you himself," the CNO replied.
Elron nodded. "So do we have any new data yet?"
"Yes, sir. I've been able to boost the Tulip's sensors through the shuttle and we now have a better idea of the planet's geology," reported Wolf. "The planet's crust seems to be rich in granite, iron ore, silicon and aluminium oxides… and dilithium deposits."
"Dilithium?! How much are we talking about?" Elron quickly sat up.
"A lot. Current measurements suggest up to six percent of the surface minerals could be dilithium ore."
This discovery caught Elron by surprise; the plot was thickening. "They wouldn't have any idea of its potential value. Do we have evidence of mining operations?"
"There's no definitive evidence to speak of, but anything as abundant as that is bound to have been discovered and refined for all sorts of uses."
Elron nodded again. "Keep running demographic and environmental investigations, and keep an eye on the progress of the away team. I want to know if anything else out of the ordinary happens."
Meanwhile, as the bridge crew of the Sovereign-class Black Tulip busied themselves with these tasks, the away team below were cautiously making their way forwards. Dressed in civilian clothing and surgically altered to resemble locals, the four Starfleet officers quietly scrabbled across the loose ground at the side of a group of low-rise buildings. The buildings were built from a reddish-brown brick and surrounded by high iron railings. The complex was situated on higher ground than the rest of the surrounding terrain, so their approach required a bit of a climb.
"There's no question about it, the energy source is coming from within that complex," said Damion, tricorder outstretched as subtly as possible. Disasterman looked up at the tall chimneys that rose from one of the larger buildings. There was an unfamiliar smell in the air - almost dusty… or dirty… he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"These appear to be some kind of industrial buildings," commented Lieutenant Walker quietly.
"You can tell that just by looking?" asked the First Officer.
"Well, that and the smell," Walker replied, "but there are certain features common to most cultures at this stage of their development. The huge columns you can see there are probably used for the removal of chemical fumes."
"You mean they just release it into the atmosphere? Isn't that dangerous?" asked Damion, a little surprised.
"It certainly does no end of harm to the environment, not to mention the effects on public health, but most industrial cultures start off this way, and the amount of pollution this people produces is still minimal. The real problem will probably face them in about 150 years if they follow the standard pattern." Lt Walker seemed perfectly familiar with the subject, but then that was why they'd brought him along.
Disasterman was meanwhile eyeing the wall and railings that prevented them from entering the complex. It was vital that they got in unseen.
[TAG: everyone
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2005 21:17:42 GMT
The away team was examining both the structure and the fence surrounding it to see if they could find any sort of opening to get in. Commander Disasterman had approached the fence to see if possibly there was a way over or possibly a way under. He had just started to go around the left side of the fence when he noticed a cart with what appeared to be a large draft animal pulling it. The Commander was about to approach the cart to inspect it's contents when a door opened on the side of the structure. Disasterman jumped into the brush that was near the cart and looked over to Lieutenant JG Damion. With a quick nod, Damion pulled out his tricorder and did his best to get a scan of the interior of the building. Disasterman noticed that the figure that had exited the building appeared to be a male. His appearance for the most part was the same except for the fact that his skin seemed to be hanging off his face and there appeared to be burn spots on the exposed skin of his face and body. Disasterman pulled his tricorder out and scanned the man as the man approached the fence, opened a hidden gate, and the entered the cart and rode away.
The away team gathered together back at their camp to look over the readings. Disasterman got a worried look on his face when he looked at the scan of the male that had exited the building. "This is impossible. That man had radiation burns according to these readings. Commander Disasterman to Holi and Admiral Elron."
"Go ahead Commander." came the reply from the Tulip's bridge
"Holi here, how may I help you Commander?"
"We have some readings of the interior of the first building and of a male that exited that building. Holi, I need you to look at those readings and verify what I believe to be radiation burns."
"Aye Commander. Even if it is radiation, you and your team should be fine if you are exposed, as long as you don't stay with it to long. Holi out."
"Commander can you tell anything about the interior? Maybe something to explain the possible radiation burn?"
"No sir, what little we were able to scan of the interior just showed the layout of the building. It appears to be only one room, but it is a factory of some sort, like those of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We have found a way in. We are about to head back and enter the building. The male that left seems to be the only one in there according to Lt Damion's scan."
"Ok Commander, just be careful. Elron out"
The away team went back to the first structure. Damion, Disasterman and Ensign Carey entered the fence, leaving Ensign Morgan on watch outside. Ensign Carey would hide behind some crates outside the building also keeping watch. Disasterman felt the wall and eventually found the way to open the door. The two officers entered the building and saw..........
[TAG anyone]
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Oct 18, 2005 8:05:07 GMT
As he gazed at his shoes, Elron began to slowly swing his legs. They moved in graceful but deliberate arcs, varying in radius and speed. Eventually the rhythm became too complex for his to keep it going and his feet started to clash together. As if he had suddenly remembered there was an outside world, the Admiral quickly abandoned his efforts and looked up from the floor. He was momentarily blinded by the brightness of the bridge, but as his eyes readjusted he focused on the viewscreen. The whole screen was filled with a view of the planet's largest moon. It was extremely dark for the most part, but one of the outside edges was bathed in sunlight and a faint, angular shadow of the Tulip could just be made out. There was no view of the planet as they were using the moon to shield them from view and conducted observation of the planet through subspace contact with the probe and shuttlecraft. Elron sighed. "Bema, how long since we last had contact from the away team?""Twenty-two minutes, sir."Elron sighed again. All he could do was wait. "I'll be in my ready room reviewing the data on the dilithium deposits."The Admiral left the bridge and lay down on the sofa in his ready room. He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, wondering how long he could keep exhaling for. Eventually he ran out of breath and sat up. He walked over to the desk, pulled up the science department's analyses and reviewed the data. Meanwhile, down on the planet, the away team had managed to gain access to the compound. Damion and Gary had made sure the coast was clear and secured them a safe route. DM lead the way towards the first structure as Lt Walker gazed at the architecture around them. "Fascinating!" he breathed quietly. He'd only ever studied pre-warp cultures on paper - he'd never set foot on such a world before. They reached the door where the radiation-poisoned man had exited previously. Silently they entered - once the FO had managed to open the door - and made their way down a short, dark corridor until they came to a large wooden door at the end. Burgess was left on watch at the outside entrance of the structure. Damion looked at his tricorder and nodded. This was the place. The First Officer pushed down the handle and pushed… but the door didn't budge. The Tactical Officer crouched and held out the tricorder. "It's some kind of mechanical lock. I'm not sure how best to get past it without attracting attention," he said. "Allow me," whispered Walker. He pulled something out of his utility satchel, crouched in front of the door and proceeded to make a series of strange clicking noises. Within moments, the door swung open. "Where did you learn to do that?" asked Disasterman, slightly impressed. Kenny just smiled back. They walked into the room and were amazed by what they saw - there, in the middle of the room, was what appeared to be a medium-sized industrial replicator. It wasn't as advanced as Federation technology, but it was certainly not an industrial-age invention. They didn't even need Walker to tell them that. Disasterman walked slowly towards it to have a proper inspection. It was only thanks to the tricorder that they could tell it was a replicator, but they could also tell that it wasn't designed for producing complex structures. It certainly wasn't a food replicator and probably couldn't produce organic compounds. It seemed much more suited to basic structures such as metals and large-scale components. They had no idea what it was used for, or for that matter where it had come from and how it had got here, but they could tell instantly from the flashing warning of the tricorder that it was emitting low levels of harmful radiation. Such emissions were a natural by-product of many replicating technologies but almost all came with some kind of safety and containment system. This replicator was completely unshielded and completely unsafe. No wonder that poor man had looked so sick. Disasterman was about to contact the Black Tulip when they heard footsteps approaching from outside the door… Many miles above them, beyond the tall atmosphere of the planet, there had also been a more interesting turn of events. [TAG: whoever] OFF: Just a small reminder to the composition of the away team - according to previous posts it's just DM, Damion, Burgess and Lt Walker
|
|
bema
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by bema on Oct 19, 2005 7:29:07 GMT
OOC: My appologies to all for a being absent in this mission thus far, but I will be amending that. I will be backposting for the first part of the post. IC: Bema sat at a table with Lieutenant Commander Jaclyn Goodspeed, Lieutenant James Brewster, Lieutenant Benjamin Pierce, Lieutenant (JG) Alexi Romanov and Lieutenant (JG) Jonathan Dowling after hearing from Elron that he need to meet with his department. The only one missing was Bema's wife who was now on full maternity leave. The Lieutenant Commander made the meeting quick due to the fact he had to go see Kate to find out how the sonnegram went. His assitant CNO gave him a brief progress report on the department's effeciency and the use of both the Warp Core and Slipstream drive. After his department meeting he quickly made his way down to Sickbay where he found his wife smiling. "Bema I have the results. We are going to be the parents of a little girl and a boy," she said absolutley beaming. Bema hugged his wife who was starting to show and together they left sickbay. After getting Katherine back to their quarters Bema went for a bite to eat, not long after he entered the mess hall he saw Admiral Elron. He decided to approach his CO. "Admiral?" said the CNO in an attempt to get Elron's attention. Bema's shift had also finished and he was in casual clothes too. "Ah, Bema," Elron replied, snapping out of his daydream. "You know you don't need to be formal with me here," he smiled, gesturing around the lounge."Please, join me. There's something I was hoping to discuss with you." Bema sat down, caught the attention of a server and ordered a drink. "What was it you wanted to talk about, Elron?" "Well, before we assigned quarters to the new crewmembers I was able to put in a request for a family apartment on your behalf. We've set aside a suite on deck 4 for you if you want it. There should be plenty of space there for you, Kate and the little one. It's in a nice quiet part of the ship. Of course, you'll want to talk to Kate about this first," Elron said. Bema considered this for a moment then he posed a question to his CO. "Does that place have room for four people?" he asked. The question itself seemed to catch Elron offguard. "Four people Bema, I am not sure I understand," Elron replied. "We got the sonnegram results today. We are having twins, one boy and one girl," Bema said as a smirk spread on his face. Elron began smiling too. "Congratulations Bema, I believe it can accomodate four people, when is Katherine due again?" he asked still smiling. "Sometime in April. Hey one thing is for sure, my kids will be able to beat you in a duel when they are older," the commander said with a smug expression. That prompted an involluntary laugh right when Damion Jhukat walked up. After a while of talking with the two officers , Bema returned to his quarters where he found Katherine waiting for him. "Admiral Elron asked me an interesting question today," he said as he got ready for bed. "What is that honey?" Kate asked. "If we wanted to move to a place on Deck 4 after the twins are born," he replied. Kate just smiled and kissed her husband. "I think I will have to give the admiral a gift to thank him," she said as the settled into bed. The next day "Bema, how long since we last had contact from the away team?" "Twenty-two minutes, sir." Elron sighed again. All he could do was wait. " You have the bridge, I'll be in my ready room reviewing the data on the dilithium deposits." As Elron left Bema paged Lieutenant (JG) Jonathan Dowling to the bridge. "As he sat in the CO's chair, he realized he hadn't introduced himself to the new CScO. "Lieutenant can you please come here for a moment," Bema said in a casual tone. The new officer complied almost immeadiately. "What can I do for you sir?" the lieutenant asked. "I am taking this oppritunity to porperly introduce myself. I am Lieutenant Commander Bema Saberwyn the Chief Navigations Officer on this ship," Bema said as he extended his hand for a handshake. "I am Lieutenant Wolf J. Flywheel, the new Romulan Chief Science Officer on the ship," the lieutenant replied as he took Bema's hand. He was about to ask about the Romulan herritage of the science officer when the relief tactical officer spoke. "Sir the away team is hailing us," she said. Bema tapped his commbadge. "Admiral Elron please report to the bridge," the commander said. Elron stepped out of his Ready Room within a few seconds. "Report Mr. Saberwyn," he said as he sat in his chair. "Two things sir, the away team is hailing us from the surface," Bema said as he returned to his console. "And the second Commander?" Elron asked. "Kate and I talked last night and we will take the apartment on Deck 4," the commander replied after turning to his CO. "That is excellent news Bema. Open a channel to the Away team," Elron replied. =/\= Disasterman to the Tulip=/\= =/\=Tulip here go ahead Commander.=/\= We found something that you migh be inerested in seeing. OOC:Tag anyone.
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Oct 27, 2005 13:35:43 GMT
"Open a channel to the Away team," Elron replied. =/\= Disasterman to the Tulip =/\= "Tulip here, go ahead Commander." =/\= We found something that you might be interested in seeing. =/\=
At that moment, Lt Flywheel's science console began to bleep loudly. Elron turned his head sharply, and thought that for the briefest moment he caught a look of absolute shock on Wolf's face. "Lieutenant?" the Admiral asked with a touch of concern in his voice. The Science Officer paused momentarily before replying. "Telemetry from the probe indicates a nearby warp field, and subspace sensors confirm this. I can't get much data from our current position, but all the signs point to a warp-capable craft entering the system. I'll try to remotely reconfiguring the probe's sensors to give us more info." It was Elron's turn to pause is surprise. "Cmdr Disasterman, please stand by."
Nobody else on the bridge spoke. The only sound was the quiet hum of the ship and the ambient console chirps which were barely audible. Bema sat waiting at the conn, ready to patch through Disasterman's hail on the Admiral's order. Elron gave Wolf time to make a few adjustments to the remote sensing systems. Finally he broke the silence. "Any indication that they've spotted us or the probe?" "None at all. They haven't sent out any active scans and they haven't altered course. We should be obscured from most routine sensors in our current position, but that depends on what scans they routinely perform when entering a system." "How reassuring," remarked Elron dryly. "I suppose we'll just have to hope." "Seems like they're going to enter the planet's atmosphere." Elron frowned. "Cmdr Saberwyn, cancel all communications with the away team. Make it clear to them that radio silence is to be maintained until further notice. Hold position here for as long as possible and keep our energy emissions to a minimum." Elron knew that this last request was the job of the relief Operations Manager sitting next to Bema, but he also knew that everyone was listening and would do what was necessary to fulfil his requests. Meanwhile, he hoped that Disasterman and the rest of his team were still safe and wondered what exactly it was that they had found.
[TAG: all]
|
|
bema
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by bema on Oct 27, 2005 22:51:11 GMT
The opperations officer was the quickest to respond to Elron's order. "Aye sir, I'll make sure they maintain radio silence." Bema was the next to respond. "Holding posistion sir. I don't think...." he trailed off as the ops station console began to beep. "Admiral we have a problem, as that ship started entering the atmosphere it started to split into two. One part is decending on the area where the away team is and the other part is closing in on us," the ensign souded a little worried. "Try to hail them," Elron said calmly. The bridge became a flurry of activity as the officers now had something to do. "Sir there is no response," the relief tactical officer said. "Admiral I recomend we raise shields," Bema said as he turned to face his CO. OOC: Tag all
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2005 2:14:01 GMT
Commander fc Disasterman was waiting for the Black Tulip to get back to his hail, when Lt Colonel Gary Burgess called Disasterman over the Comm badges.
"Col Burgess to Disasterman" came the hail in a loud whisper.
"Disasterman here, go ahead Col."
"Sir, I was keeping an eye on the road for the male to return when something caught my eye in the sky. There appears to be a ship that is heading our direction. We need to clear out as soon as possible, if not sooner.
"Ok, we are coming out. Be ready to cover our six if need be."
Commander Disasterman signaled to Damion and Walker to get out as fast as they could and meet back at the camp site. The Commander made a few quick scans of the rest of the room and hoped it was enough to compare to the other building, if they were ever able to get there and compare it. The Commander left the building and just made it out of the fence and into the trees when the craft passed over head. Disasterman knew that the only way that the ship would have seen him was if they had been scanning the area. The Commander slowly made his way back to the campsite which was well hidden in the growth of the woods that surrounded the building. By the noise that was heard, the craft must have landed fairly close to their location. The Commander used hand signals to tell the others to keep their eyes open as they worked their way out of camp and towards the craft's landing area.
The Commander took a moment to try again to use his chameleon ability by pressing his hand against a nearby tree. He knew that there wasn't much DNA in his system, but there was enough for him to alter his appearance enough to hide in most cases. After a few seconds, the Commander gave up and decided that the alterations that were made to blend into this world's civilization blocked his ability somehow. The Commander joined the rest of the team as the craft opened and the "aliens" emerged. The Commander was about to signal to Gary when.......
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Oct 28, 2005 10:52:31 GMT
"Admiral, I recommend we raise shields," Bema said as he turned to face his CO. Elron seemed to sigh briefly before giving the order. "Shields up! Don't charge weapons yet. We don't want to provoke them into anything." "Aye, sir," responded the relief Tactical Officer obediently. "Try to hail them again." "Still no response sir... wait... they're hailing us now. It's audio only." "Put it through," ordered the Admiral.
=/\= Alien vessel - who are you and what are you doing here? =/\= The voice was muffled and brusque, like sandpaper rubbing against foam. "This is the Federation starship Black Tulip. We're hear on a peaceful mission of exploration." There was no response so Elron continued. "Please identify yourselves - are you from this system?" There was a short hiss of static before the response. =/\= What Federation? How long have you been hiding here? =/\= Elron wasn't comfortable with this line of questioning - the voice sounded aggressive and nervous. "We believe the inhabitants of this planet to be a primitive culture. Our protocols forbid us from interfering in their culture by making ourselves visible to them." =/\= So you sneak around instead? How conscientious of you. =/\= Elron didn't appreciate sarcasm. Not in the current circumstances anyway. He signalled for his audio transmission to be muted.
"Lieutenant, what's the status of their weapons?" he asked the Tactical Officer quietly once he was sure he couldn't be heard over the commlink. "They seem to have armed disruptor beams, but I'm not detecting any weaponry that would pose a problem to us. I'd say they're significantly less advanced than us in that department." This reassured Elron a bit. He still didn't want it to come to conflict though. He signalled for the mute to be cancelled.
"Alien vessel, we have identified ourselves to you. If you are not from this planet, please tell us what you are doing here and return the courtesy." There was no response. Elron turned to the Tactical Officer. "They've cancelled the transmission, sir. I guess they didn't want to talk any more." Elron shrugged. "They've scanned our systems and they know they're out-gunned by us."
"Hold position. Keep shields at maximum but don't arm phasers or torpedoes until I explicitly give the order. Until they're willing to talk we'll just have to wait here and hope that the away team can get back in contact again soon. Do you think they'd be able to decrypt a scrambled transmission from the planet?" "I've had a look at the technological level of the alien ship and I don't think they'd be able to understand a security-scrambled message. Certainly not if we used one of the more sophisticated algorithms," answered Flywheel from the science console. "Get me as much information on their systems as you can. We'll sit tight for now."
Meanwhile, down on the planet, the aliens had started to emerge from the smaller craft. Disasterman was about to signal to Gary when a group of locals approached and appeared to greet the new arrivals. They were acting very submissive towards them, as though they were addressing royalty or something. Disasterman decided it would be better for them to keep their distance for now. Suddenly, Walker was tapping him on the shoulder and pointing towards the complex. Out of the main gate rolled a cart laden with what appeared to be mineral ores. It was piled high and closely followed by another cart. Through the open hanger doors of the alien ship, they could just make out a couple of crates. Disasterman thought he'd just figured where this dangerous technology was coming from...
[TAG: all]
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Nov 22, 2005 17:23:50 GMT
From the bridge of the gigantic Black Tulip, Elron pondered their current situation. They were in orbit of a Prime Directive-protected pre-warp civilisation that was being exploited by a less scrupulous warp-capable culture. The intelligence passed to him from the away team in the last 15 minutes made it clear that they were handing over advanced but potentially unstable technologies in exchange for extortionate amounts of rare mineral, including unrefined Dilithium ore. If this were allowed to continue, the planet could find its natural resources entirely depleted in just a few decades. Did Elron have a right to intervene in this affair? Did he have a duty to interfere? Or did he simply have to leave the planet's inhabitants to look after themselves and hope for the best. He knew social evolution tended to follow biological evolution in its "survival of the fittest" approach. He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair and bit his lip in earnest thought. "Scramble a signal to the away team. Tell them to blend into the crowd and follow the other alien visitors. Maybe they can pick up some new information for us." Bema set about sending the signal. "There's still no sign of any other vessels in the region?" "Nothing on sensors," came the response from the Tactical console.
Meanwhile, down on the planet's surface, the away team received their instructions and, after leaving their hiding place to edge around the back of the gathering crowd, began to mix with the people in an attempt to blend in. Although he couldn't say anything aloud, Kenny Walker was amazed by the blend of smells around him. All he had smelled since they'd arrived was the dull odour of pollution, but amongst the people, he was aware of an almost spicy smell. It reminded him of his childhood, of being in a bakery at Christmas. He wondered with glee about what their diet might consist of - whatever it was it was bound to be exotically flavoured if these smells were anything to go by. He noticed that some of the people around him had brought what appeared to be jewellery with them and were either clutching it closely to their chest or, nearer the front of the crowd, holding it up in out-stretched arms. He also noticed some of the junior officers from the visiting aliens were engaging in private trade with these people. The majority of the pushing people were ignored, however, and there was no time wasted in bringing the cartloads of minerals onboard the shuttle. A young woman in loose orange cloth stepped on Walker's foot. He gasped in pain, but she barely even glanced at him. He couldn't help noticing the unusual lesions down the side of her neck, though. Since he didn't have any medical training, he had no idea what would cause a reaction like that. He decided he was being pulled too far into the throng and so fought against the crowd to make his way back to the edge, wincing slightly as he did so.
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2005 22:05:14 GMT
Disasterman and the others were working their ways thru the crowd trying to see what was happening with the aliens. Disasterman did his best, but would be lucky to make it two steps forward before being shoved back a step or two. He was doing his best to get as close to the aliens to see if maybe he could hear a language or even them talking so, if need be, the universal translator could pick enough up to be able to translate. Disasterman tried from several angles, but could never get close enough to hear anything. Finally he got right behind the cart that was still making its way thru the crowd. He knew that this would almost guarantee that he would get fairly close. The crowds parted as the cart made its way thru them and closed back behind Disasterman. One foot further back from the cart and he would be swallowed up by the crowd. Disasterman decided that what was roughly the second row in the crowd was close enough and he did his best to stand his ground as he listened to the conversation between the inhabitants and the aliens.
At first there was nothing that could be understood, but slowly the translator did its job. After listening for a while, the Commander was finally shoved to far back to be able to make the conversation out over the crowd. He nodded to the others who themselves slowly worked their ways out of the crowd and back to the camping spot. Once there, they all compared notes and then Disasterman called to the Tulip.
"Disasterman to the Tulip, come in please"
"Tulip here, what have you learned Commander?", came the reply from Admiral Elron on the bridge of the Tulip.
"Sir, it would seem that the lead alien, whose name I think is Takud, has asked the people, the Narojab, to supply them with more of the ore. Arik, the leader of this community, told Takud that they are doing all they can because what few people can work are doing so, the rest are too ill and the others are not getting better. Even the children are starting to show signs of the sickness. Then Takud told Arik that they need to build more buildings to be able to get more ore. Arik explained again that there werent enough people to be able to build them or run them if they did get them built. Takud told her to go to the next community and make them work. Arik explained that the everyone shunned this community due to the sickness. Noone even wanted to trade with them so they could get medicines to try and cure it.
Sir, I think that the Narojab's need or help to not only cure them, but rid them of these aliens. I know it goes against the Prime Directive, but hasnt that technically already been broken?"
"In a way, yes it has, but not by us. I am going to have to think about this a little more. Please stand by and I will hopefully have you an answer soon."
With that the communication was closed. Disasterman and the others gathered some wood and made a small fire as they waited. Soon it would be night fall and the small group wasnt sure how cold it might get that night. The fire had just really gotten going when Disasterman got the call they had been waiting for......
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2005 23:02:06 GMT
Glancing up from the small table he was sitting at, Tobias frowned towards the man in front of him.
“Federation you said? What the heck are they doing all the way out here. We should be well away from their area of interest. This could cause us some problems. They are the most righteous group of people I have met. What ship is it?” “The Black Tulip.” “Dammit! That avari son of a jackal is the most righteous bas…” He let his thought trail off, and turned to the bellatrese beside him. “Do they know who we are?” “I don’t believe so ko’rui’na.” He used the formal designation that Tobias had taken on. The ‘na’ added on to ko’rui signified his importance. “How to play it… how to play it?” He pondered quietly to himself.
He leant back into his seat as he thought, his fingers idly playing with the strands of hair just forward of his right ear. He caught himself, and stopped it, realising that such a show of weakness could easily get him killed. He would have to make sure to be more aware of his own actions in future. He looked at the bellatrese male standing in front of him still. They really were an interesting race. Their whole empire was founded on exploiting the weaknesses of other races within their domain. This planet had been set up to accept the bellatrese as gods, and the dilithium they took was ‘tribute’. It was reaping them a good profit, and the ore that Tobias was managing to skim off for himself was certainly worth his long journey to get here. When he returned to federation space, he would be able to get a good price for what he had on the black market. He certainly didn’t want to lose that now. He would have to go and see Elron himself.
“Ready my ship.” “Of course ko’rui’na.” Tobias smiled. He would never tire of the title.
Maybe the power he wielded here had lulled him too much. He had not foreseen any problems, he had grown too lazy. He concluded with a sigh that once he had got the cream off the top of this load, it might be time to head on to something else, keep moving, following his nose, looking for profit. He had spent too long here, warmed to the settled life too much. It was dangerous he chided himself.
A number of minutes later he had completed his final checks on the small ship that he had docked within this ship’s specifically expanded shuttlebay. With the tap of a few buttons, he was soon launched away from the less powerful ship. Although he knew there was no threat of the federation ship attacking the vessel he had been in, he felt somewhat safer in his own once more. He also knew it would only be a matter of time before he was detected, and then hailed.
|
|
bema
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by bema on Nov 27, 2005 1:56:12 GMT
"Sir there is a ship coming in," the relief Tactical officer said as he console began beeping. "Hail them," Elron replied. The screen went from the usual sea star to the face of a human. OOC: Tag anyone.
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2005 5:33:19 GMT
“Unidentified vessel, this is the federation starship Black Tulip, please identify yourself.” Tobias leant back into his seat, wondering whether they would attack him if he ignored them.
“Unidentified vessel, this is the federation starship Black Tulip, please identify yourself.” The message was an identical repeat, obviously a precorded one from their computer. He sighed lightly, they wouldn’t attack him. The worst that they would do would be to repeat this message over and over until he relpied, or moved too far away to bother them. He half considered testing this new theory, but it wasn’t really worth the effort of leaving the bellatrese vessel just for some fun. He tapped a couple of buttons, and the face of the avari, Admiral Elron appeared on screen.
“Elron, I see you have been promoted since last we met.” “And I see you have friends of equally low footing as last time.” “Oh come now, it isn’t very officer-like to insult my friends Admiral.” “I will be blunt Tobias. What are you doing here, and what type of scum are you to take advantage of these poor people?” “Take advantage?” The trill rearranged his face into a look of horror. “Admiral, I think you have completely misread the situation here. May I come aboard to discuss the cooperative processes that are going on here?” “Come aboard, but we shall have you under guard.” “I do like to feel welcome and protected Admiral. I shall be with you in a matter of moments.”
The trill moved to his transporter pad towards the back of the vessel. Before he activated the transport, he set a few other systems running on the ship. Simple ones really, but ones that would prevent his ship from being stolen, destroyed or otherwise. He ran his fingers lovingly along a bulkhead, and then activated the transport.
|
|
bema
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by bema on Nov 27, 2005 8:00:27 GMT
As soon a the channel closed Elron turned to Bema. "Commander get down to Tranporter Room 3 to greet our guest," Elron said. Bema nodded and headed for the turbolift. Within a few minutes the Commander arrived at the transporter room. No sooner had he arrived at the room the tranporter activated. "Welcome back aboard Tobias," Bema said warmly as the Trill materalized. "So you have been promoted a well Mr. Saberwyn," he said a he stepped off the transporter pad. OOC: Tag anyone.
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2005 15:26:52 GMT
"The trill noted Bema’s promotion, knowing that people warmed to you far quicker if they thought they were important in your mind. Commenting on promotions had far more effect on the members of the crew than on Elron. Elron was sure to take it as a sarcastic aside, while the crewmembers were more likely to take it as praise, and after all, they would be extremely proud of their promotions. This said, Tobias was pleased for them; it was hard to get higher in the ladder in Starfleet, and it was nice for him to have ‘contacts’ with higher ranks.
“Aye, Lieutenant Commander now. Has been for over a year now.” “Well done. I assume you’re here to make sure I don’t do anything stupid.” “I think I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything sensible either.” “Quite. Lead on.”
The pair remained in polite conversation all the way down to the observation lounge. When they stepped in, Tobias saw that only Elron was sat in there, although there was a pair of guards flanking the door. The trill noted that they were carrying a phaser rifle that he hadn’t yet come across. Obviously Starfleet had been busy. The avari was sat tall in his seat, and had given his full attention to Tobias when he entered. This, the mercenary had to admit, made him slightly on edge. Most captains would deign to ignore him until he was sat down. This attention was unusual and that, he assumed, was the point.
“Tobias. You were among the last people I was expecting to see here.” “Admiral Elron, I might say the same about you. It must have taken you some fair time to get out here.”
At this juncture, Bema started to say something, but before he could, Elron waved him quiet, and continued himself. “It wasn’t as quick as we might have hoped no. But exploration is a matter of patience, so we endured.”
Tobias realised that there was something here that might be worth investigating. Had some kind of wormhole opened to speed up travel to this region? That would certainly offer a great opportunity for profit. He would need to investigate a few things, including the Black Tulip’s technology. It was possible a faster warp engine had been developed.
“So, you have some explaining to do Mr Tobias.” “That’s Mr Erin.” “Mr Erin.” “Of course. I’m not sure how aware you are of what is going on in this system, or indeed of the system itself, so I’ll explain it all. As I am sure you know, this planet is extremely rich in dilithium ore. Where on most planets it is only present deep within the crust, here it lies almost on the surface. Obviously, for space-faring races, this makes the planet exceedingly valuable. However, as I am also sure you know, having dilithium in these quantities comes with a terrible pay off. The planet is extremely geologically unstable. It is subject to planet-wide quakes which can destroy whole communities. In return for the dilithium we teach these people. We teach them of how these quakes are formed, and how they can protect themselves against it. Because we have such knowledge, they worship us as gods, and present us not only with dilithium, but with food and gifts. Of course, we only accept these as hospitality, and do not take them away with us when we leave. Even from a selfish point of view, that would be stupid, we would be killing the very people we need to mine the dilithium. So you see, we aren’t so evil as you think Admiral.”
|
|
bema
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by bema on Nov 28, 2005 0:54:20 GMT
"So you see, we aren’t so evil as you think Admiral." Tobias was saying. Bema kept his gaze down, he understood why Admiral Elron had quieted him but he was a little upset about it. Bema looked up and at his CO and noticed a strange gaze coming from Elron. Bema caught the meaning of the look and left the room. As soon as Bema was down the corridor he tapped his commbadge. "Lieutenant Argyle the Admiral wants you to increase security in Engineering. Also open a secure channel with the away team," Bema said in his 'command voice.' "Aye sir," came the reply from the bridge. The commander waited a moment to be put through to Commander Disasterman. "Yes Bema what is it?" the ship's FO asked. "We have run into an 'old friend' and he want me to update you on the situation," Bema said. He then apprised his FO of the meeting between Admiral Elron and Tobias. "I think we should insitute Regulation 46A Mr Saberwyn," Disasterman said. "Elron and I concure, this situation is far more strange than we had anticipated. We will try to bring you guys up ASAP," Bema commented hesitantly. "In the mean time we will continue to check thing out here Disaterman out," the Commander aid a he closed the channel. Bema moved back to the obervations lounge. A soon as he stepped back into the room Elron addressed him. "Bema escort Mr Erin back to the transporter room," Elron said. OOC: Tag Disasterman and Tobias.
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2005 2:35:17 GMT
Tobias had watched with feigned disinterest as Bema had left the room. It has surprised him little, he didn’t expect that the Starfleet officers would believe his story readily, and they would now be investigating to their own ends what was going on. This was the best that Tobias would be able to manoeuvre for at the moment. Indeed, it was likely that Elron knew the full extent of his tactic. He was merely trying to slow things down so that he could save as much of his own profits from the endeavour as he could before he turned tail and left.
This said, Tobias’ words weren’t completely false. They did, in some small amount, try and aid the people on this planet. However, rather than teaching them how to rectify it themselves, the ko’rui were instead fixing it, and using this to further enhance their reputations as gods. The trill would need to change things for a while, so that the ruse was more believable.
With Bema gone, neither Elron nor Tobias seemed particularly inclined to continue their diplomatic ruse. The room fell into an uneasy silence, but Tobias did nothing to break it. Anything he added now would seem like some excuse, or a desperate plea for more time. Best to leave things as they stood at the moment.
When Lt Cmdr Saberwyn’s footsteps echoed lightly along the corridor towards them, Tobias rose to his feet.
“I feel I should return to my vessel. I trust that you will recognise your lack of authority here, and leave this world in our care.” He knew his words were aggressive and overbearing, but the words would hopefully invoke a revealing response. “We will honour our rules and directives in the issue.” Elron replied easily, but it was a clear enough warning. "Bema escort Mr. Erin back to the transporter room."
With a slight incline of his head towards the Starfleet captain, Tobias left the room, walking alongside Bema, and deigning to ignore the guards that both preceded and followed them.
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Nov 29, 2005 8:58:09 GMT
Elron knew which way he'd been leaning before Disasterman's communication, but his mind had been made up almost instantly after hearing how sick the people had become. The Narojabs - an interesting name he thought - were clearly the innocents in this scam. Through no fault of their own, they were losing a vast quantity of precious resources and being poisoned for their trouble. It sounded as though only a specific community was being targeted; perhaps they were the primary owners of mineral rich land. The Admiral had read the Prime Directive several times in the last hour. "Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ships, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture." Technically it didn't specify who had caused the earlier violation, and much to Starfleet Command's occasional chagrin, the Prime Directive was open to a great deal of interpretation by starship Captains. Although Elron had skirted the edge of the Prime Directive several times in the past, he found it unlikely that anyone back in San Francisco would object to his intended course of action. There were few in Starfleet with the authority to over-rule his decision anyway. The provision of medical care to treat them for a sickness that was caused by alien interference hardly constituted meddling in their natural development. They were merely putting the society back on its former course. The bigger question was what to do about these aliens and their leader Takud. It would require the formulation of a strategy…
His mind made up, he quickly hailed the away team again to inform them of his decision. "Commander, you're to help the Narojabs as much as you can with respect to medical treatment. We'll see if we can find a way to transfer extra medical supplies to you, but you'll have to make do with what you've got in the shuttle for now. Keep your distance from the other aliens as much as possible. We don't think they know you're down there yet, so don't give them any reason to suspect you. You're significantly outnumbered. While you're there, track down as much of the alien hardware as you can and try to neutralise it. If we can get closer to the planet, we might be able to help remove it." =/\= Acknowledged, Tulip. We'll use what medical training we have and keep an eye on the visitors. =/\=
"Bema, bring us out from behind the moon and prepare to put us in a high orbit. Do it slowly and watch for any reaction from the alien ship. I don't expect them to look favourably on the move, but I wonder whether they're confident enough to try and stop us." "Admiral!" interjected the tactical officer as his console started bleeping. " Sir, there's is a ship coming in. It's of a different design." "Bema, continue cautiously. Hail the ship to find out what it wants."
It was a while before there was any response, but just as Elron was about to order a tractor beam lock, their hail was acknowledged. As the face appeared on screen, Elron's eyes narrowed. "I should have known," he said darkly. "Elron, I see you have been promoted since last we met." The devious grin of Tobias Erin had a distinctly unnerving quality to it. Elron knew that grin only too well, but thought he'd seen the last of it. "May I come aboard to discuss the co-operative processes that are going on here?” the mercenary asked after they'd engaged in the usual banter.
Elron snorted. "Am I forgetting my manners? How embarrassing. By all means come aboard, but we shall have you under armed guard." “I do like to feel welcome and protected, Admiral. I shall be with you in a matter of moments.” "Oh and Tobias - if I see even a sensor ghost to indicate weapons powering on your ship, I'll turn it into 14 trillion tin cans." The smile disappeared momentarily from Tobias' face. "Charming to the last, eh Elron."
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Nov 29, 2005 8:59:39 GMT
After he'd sent Bema down to Transporter Room 3 to collect their guest, Elron pondered this latest development. Tobias was the last person he'd expected to run into this far from Federation space, and yet it made so much sense. He decided to receive him in the Observation Lounge. It afforded them some privacy, but wasn't so cosy and personal as his ready room. He decided it would be best to place some armed security personnel outside the room too. Elron wasn't trying to make a display of strength for the benefit of Tobias, since the Trill would presumably be aware of the resources available to the ship and Elron had no particular interest in mind games. They were there for practical reasons, and Elron had issued them with orders to use extreme force if necessary.
As their guest was led into the Observation Lounge, the Admiral fixed on him with a firm gaze that left no room for doubting his seriousness. To Elron's annoyance, barely a few seconds had passed before Bema had nearly let slip about their QSD. He groaned inwardly. It was lucky he'd been paying attention or the CNO might actually have been able to say something before being quieted. You couldn't afford even the slightest slip with this Trill since he picked up on everything that went on around him. They would have to increase security in Engineering now. Killing two birds with one stone, the Admiral sent Bema away to inform the security department. As Tobias went on to defend his presence and the nature of their relationship with the Narojabs, Elron simply raised an eyebrow.
"We teach them of how these quakes are formed, and how they can protect themselves against it," Tobias explained. "Because we have such knowledge, they worship us as gods, and present us not only with dilithium, but with food and gifts. Of course, we only accept these as hospitality, and do not take them away with us when we leave." If Elron had been able to raise his eyebrow any further, he would have done.
A great many arguments, responses and witticisms occurred to the Avari as he listened to the story, but he decided there was nothing to be gained by voicing them. Best to leave Tobias in some doubt as to what he intended to do. Of course, Elron didn't think for a moment that the mercenary was here out of some sense of good will, or that he would do anymore than was necessary to obtain his profit. But they had little intelligence on the alien culture he was accompanying and, for all Elron knew, they could have been operating out of some twisted sense of generosity and good intentions. Many space-faring cultures believed that they had something to offer less advanced societies, and that their help could only be a good thing. Little did they realise the harm they did. Elron had to figure out exactly what the extent of the relationship was and how badly the Narojabs' health was being harmed. In any case, the fact that Tobias Erin was of a Federation-aligned race gave the Tulip slightly more legitimacy in their attempt to prevent cultural contamination.
Elron glanced up briefly at the man before him. Tobias was looking casually around the room, at the floor, out the windows… anywhere that could make him seem relaxed and ignorant of the uneasy silence that had developed. Elron rather enjoyed awkward silences - they could tell you a lot about a person. As soon as Bema returned, Tobias seemed to regain some confidence. “I feel I should return to my vessel. I trust that you will recognise your lack of authority here, and leave this world in our care,” he said as he stood. Again several responses occurred to Elron, but again he thought it best to keep them to himself. Although he didn't appreciate the tone of the statement, it was nothing less than he would have expected. His response would have to be measured but firm. “We will honour our rules and directives in the issue.” Inwardly, he wondered exactly which of the directives he would decide to follow this time. As Tobias was led away, Elron knew they now had little time to waste if they were to uncover the true nature of the plot. He decided it was time to visit the office of his Senior Marine Officer…
OFF: Since there isn’t very much for Navigation to do right now, Bema has permission to post on behalf of the vacant Science position and can also take control of Tactical when relevant to the mission.
|
|
bema
Guest
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
|
Post by bema on Dec 2, 2005 6:14:34 GMT
As soon as Tobias left Bema visibly relaxed. "Computer locate Admiral Elron," he said. Admiral Elron is in 2nd Lieutenant J'Ka's office. The computer replied in the usual female voice. Bema quickly walked to the marine office where Elron was just leaving. "Sir I wish to appologize for my actions," Bema said in a very calm voice.
|
|
Elron
Fleet Admiral
[Retired]
?There are no facts, only interpretations? (Nietzsche)
Registered: May 31, 2003 12:23:57 GMT
Posts: 3,080
|
Post by Elron on Dec 5, 2005 18:31:05 GMT
J'Ka had just returned from the Marines' specialist gymnasium, beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead, when the door-chime sounded. He wiped the sweat off with a towel. "Enter!" he replied loudly, throwing the towel onto one of the office's chairs. When he saw Admiral Elron walk in, he quickly stood to attention. "At ease, Lieutenant," the Admiral said offhandedly. He sounded serious, which was unusual for the Admiral, so J'Ka knew this wasn't a personal call. Elron walked straight into the middle of the room and stood next to the chair with the towel draped over it. Suddenly realising, J'Ka grabbed the towel and stuffed it in a locker. Elron sat down on the chair, and J'Ka did likewise in his own chair on the other side of the desk. "What can I do for you, sir?" the Marine Officer asked, in the most professional tone he could. The Admiral didn't answer right away, but J'Ka knew to sit and wait for a response before enquiring further. After a few moments, Elron crossed his legs and sat back. "Lieutenant, I want you to position teams strategically around the ship. I want your men prepared for the possibility of intruders and standing guard, particularly in and around Engineering.""Aye, sir" the Marie replied. He asked no questions. "I'd also like you to assemble a small assault team to be deployed at short notice," Elron added in a low voice. "With what objective?""Personnel recovery. Expect light but determined resistance." The Marine simply nodded in response. "I may never need to use them, but I want the option there.""Of course. I'll assemble and prepare them at once.""Thanks, J'Ka. I may have taken some convincing at first, but having a Marine squad on board has certainly proved useful. I'll call if I need you." Admiral Elron smiled and left. J'Ka wasted no time in making all the necessary preparations to meet the Admiral's request. No sooner had Elron left the office than he ran into Cmdr Saberwyn. The CNO's face was full of regret, but his voice was perfectly calm and even. "Sir, I wish to apologise for my actions"Elron looked at him for a moment and then sighed lightly. "Don't worry about it, Bema. We all make mistakes from time to time, especially in unusual circumstances such as these." He placed a reassuring hand on Saberwyn's shoulder. "Tobias would have suspected something unusual anyway, and I didn't expect it to be long before he figured it out. I was just hoping to keep him in the dark for as long as possible. In any case, we've assigned extra security to Engineering so even if he is curious about how we got here, he won't be able to do much about it." Elron crossed his fingers for luck as he said this, out of Bema's sight. They continued along the corridor towards the turbolift. "So how is Kate doing these days?" Elron asked informally. [TAG:anyone with anything interesting to write ]
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 28, 2024 9:36:41 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2005 17:38:55 GMT
When Tobias returned to his ship, he immediately leant back into his seat, his mind rushing with thoughts. It was obvious that there was something on the Black Tulip, that they had found a way of travelling quicker. That had more than one implication to him. If they had discovered a new type of drive, one that didn’t run on dilithium crystals, then he was in dire straights. On the other hand, if they were using the same drive, one possibility was that the speed had been increased after finding a better fuel. Which would still leave him with the same problem.
What to do, what to do…
He sighed, realising that there wasn’t anything much he could do about the Black Tulip’s propulsion systems, at least not at the moment. It was something that he might have to investigate at some point though. He tapped a few controls, and piloted his vessel towards the planet. There was no sense in going back to the ko’rui ship anymore. The trill slowly brought the ship in to land a few hundred metres from the shanty town that had been built near the mine. As soon as he had closed the hatch, the vessel shrouded itself.
He made his way quickly towards the village, placing a few more rings on his fingers. He had taken them off for the encounter with Elron, he was more likely to lose standing with the federation so adorned, but on this planet, they were a large part of his character. He was seen as one of the higher deities. Indeed, many of the ko’rui were starting to feel uneasy that an outsider had so much power, and especially that the power Tobias wielded was over people to whom it could not be explained that he was an outsider.
|
|