Alyana Ryat
Commodore
Registered: Sept 5, 2007 16:34:56 GMT
Posts: 347
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Post by Alyana Ryat on Feb 4, 2016 23:01:37 GMT
Alyana wasn't sure what was irking her more. Being stalked, stunned and taking a face plant into sand was not good. She swore that she could still taste the sand. However, as neither her nor Karka had been hurt beyond a phaser stun and none of their things had been touched. Things could have been a whole lot worse. She still wasn't, sure what to make of it. Her instincts said that they had stopped from seeing something, from finding out something that was or at least could be of vital importance. More frustrating than the attack itself had been the followi up at Starfleet HQ. There were only so many ways that she could say that she had no idea what had been happening. Not to mention, more than one of her interviewers had made it very clear that they didn't trust her. In truth Aly wasn't surprised by that would have rather not been reminded of it.
She had had a few minutes to do some official duties and then she had been hauled in to selection of further meetings. She wasn't, sure what the Admirals made of her off duty attire complete with a light dusting of sand and the straw hat she was still holding. They didn't mention it.
She was very pleased to have a new mission although part of her wondered if she were being sent away. She had checked on Karka, but she hadn't,t been able to actually see any of her crew since arriving back.
Once all the meetings were over she was able to return to her ship. She spoke of the comm system, knowing that her message was being sent to her entire crew. "This is Commodore Ryat, we will be leaving dock eight hours from now. There will be a senior staff meeting at 1300 hours" She continued naming a time two hours before the ship was due to leave dock. "In the main conference room."
Tag: All
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 5, 2016 5:29:11 GMT
Karka had returned to engineering and lined his staff up before him, the maintenance techs in the back turning round from their greasing and polishing to face their mercurial Chief - back from the dead - who was now before them on the second rung of the red ladder, adjacent to the PTC shaft. Lieutenants and Lieutenants Junior Grade Unwin (to be his replacement chief if the transfer had been approveD), Maran and Headingley (the replacement for Jablweski who'd been killed by one of the Whal) and the numerous ensigns were ready for address.
"Team. This may be my last address to you as a member of the Excalibur's crew. If my assignment is approved by Command, I will be going to the USS Charon as Chief Science Officer under Juan Escude."
"Escude... Plank," someone said, disguising the vocalisation behind a cough. There were a few mutterings of amusement.
Karka's eyebrow twitched; he tilted his head. "What was that?" He jumped off the ladder. "Ensign Maran, you will stand to attention and reply to the following question yes, sir, or no, sir, understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"And the one following," Karka amended, "Now, is it a court martial offence to insult a Captain of a Federation starship, whether it is or is not in that officer's presence? And is it understood if you were found to have committed such an offence, you would be subject to such a court martial?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Because if I were to hear you refer to Captain Escude using a particular slang word that is unfamiliar to me, likely an insult, I would have to report you to Commander Schirra, is that understood?"
"Yes." More laughter.
Karka concealed his smile from the staff as he wheeled away from them and returned to the ladder. "Ladies and gentlemen, while engineering has been my discipline for my entire professional career, I am I will have you know well versed in most of the sciences. Captain Escude's 'plankiness' in requesting that I join his science department should not prove too much of a difficulty in this respect." He paused, "If this is to be my last address to you and my last meeting with the Commodore in a staff briefing, then I wish you all farewell." The officers clapped and came forward, shaking hands with Karka who nevertheless insisted on bowing and extending a hand before him after the custom of the humans at Mauht Prime, a member of which he'd assumed the identity of.
He was pleased that in the time here he hadn't had to reveal his true identity - though he'd come perilously close on more than one occasion - he could, he reasoned, return to the future - skipping the assignment to the Charon or just having himself disappear, only to return at a point in the past when, say, he was about to take his first assignment to the Excalibur.
He headed to the briefing room, mixed emotions charging through him even though he knew he had that 'get-out clause' of escaping up the luminous ladder of the centuries available should he want it. "You should want it." LIrwa joked in his mind. He smiled grimly and entered the turbolift, soon arriving at the briefing room.
"Commodore." He greeted and took a seat, "Did Admiral Connolly divulge any more of the task force's mission to the surrendered Gorn territory? Has my assignment been approved? And is the Excalibur joining the task force?"
<Tag Ryat, Schirra>
He hadn't meant to barrage her with questions; it was simply a matter of there being so much up in the air at the moment. What would the Charon's crew be like? And could it be only a temporary assignment, something linked with the task force?
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 7, 2016 22:10:36 GMT
He'd given the Commodore the rest of the day, and still she had failed to provide any explanation regarding his exclusion from the meetings with Admiral Connolly ...... He wasn't stupid, he knew that the Executive Officer wasn't always immediately privy to every morsel of information, so, rather than challenge her he decided to wait it out. It was still up in the air as to whether he remained aboard the Excalibur, or returned to Starfleet Intelligence, and at least now they weren't pestering him or the crew ..... He was sat in his office looking out at the Earth rotating serenely below before heading off the the meeting the Commodore had requested, he arrived in time to hear the Chief engineer ask a question:
"Did Admiral Connolly divulge any more of the task force's mission to the surrendered Gorn territory. Has my assignment been approved, and is the Excalibur joining the task force ?"
Dan nodded to those already around the table and took his seat.
"I'm afraid I am not at liberty to divulge what was said in the meeting Commander." Ryat said, a side-on glance at her Exec' as she replied, "At this point all I can confirm is that the Excalibur will be joining the task force, we will be briefed en-route and once I know what's happening, then you all will too."
The meeting went on, going through ships' readiness, replacement crew assignments, and numerous other items before the Commodore finally closed the meeting instructing all department heads to be ready in one hour to join up with the other vessels before departing for Gorn Territory. As the others left, Dan asked Karka and the Commodore to remain ...
"So the transfer orders were correct, Commander Psonoir is moving over to the USS Charon ?"
"Yes, he will be taking over as Chief Science Officer for the duration of the task force mission." Ryat answered.
"Any particular reason why I wasn't invited to the discussion on our next outing ?" Dan said, feeling his temper beginning to rise slightly and working to calm himself down.
"The meeting with Admiral Connolly was in regard to our joining the task force, the fact that the Cheron needed a Science Officer, as non were readily available he brought up the Commander's background. It was decided that Karka would transfer once he had recommended a temporary Chief Engineer for the Excalibur from his own Staff. I know it's irregular Daniel, but the Admiral made the decision. The transfer orders were posted prematurely, otherwise you would only be finding out about it now."
Dan looked from one to the other. Ryat seemed to be working hard to keep an air of authority, while he could see that Karka was less then happy about proceedings, but was obviously accepting the order to transfer. Shaking his head Dan stood and headed for the door:
"Where are we joining up with the task force, or is that confidential too ?"
"Titan." was the one-word reply from Ryat. After a few seconds, Dan moved around the table and shook Karka's hand:
"Enjoy the Charon, Science will be a bit of a change for you." he said, grinning, "Try not to step on too many Engineers' toes while you're over there, and watch your step with Escude."
"Thank you, Dan." Psonoir replied as the Exec' turned to Ryat.
"I'll be on the Bridge." he said, turning to leave them alone. Forty five minutes later, with the USS Cheron in close formation, they engaged the impulse engines and headed out to the largest moon of Saturn ...
The USS Excalibur, Star Fleet's Flagship, was one of only two refit Constitution Class Star-ship in the group, the other being the USS Massachusetts, under the Command of Admiral Connolly, who was heading the task force. The other vessels were all original constitution Class ... As they took up position, a Comm came through requesting Commodore Ryat join Admiral Connolly and the other Commanding Officer's aboard his ship at twenty hundred hours. It didn't go un-noticed by Dan, or those on the Bridge, that the invitation was not extended to the Executive Officer. Again, it was not a requirement for the Exec' to accompany the Commanding Officer, but formality usually called for the two Senior Officers to be present at a briefing.
Five minutes after Ryat left the Excalibur, Dan spoke to the Communications Officer:
"Who's Exec' on the Charon ?"
"Commander Maria Jaso Sir."
"Contact the Charon." he ordered, sitting in the Command seat waiting. A second later the 'window' changed to a view of the Charon's Bridge, a young woman sat in it's command seat.
=^= Commander Jaso .. Commander Schirra .. Just wanted to check up on our former Engineer .. Is he settling in over there ? =^=
=^= Commander .. .. .. Yes .. He has familiarized himself with his Department and is eager to depart for the task at hand =^= the woman said, eyeing Schirra with something approaching suspicion.
=^= Any chance I could have a quick word ? =^=
=^= Alas not .. .. .. The Commander is busy preparing for our departure .. I will of course inform him you were asking about his .. Well-being .. .. .. Charon out =^=
The Comm closed and the 'window' returned to it's clear state. Dan sat, deep in thought .... His motive behind asking to speak to the Charon's Exec' was to verify if she had accompanied her Captain to the Massachusetts, but her abruptness, and unwillingness to allow him to speak to Karka began to ring alarm bells in his head. Maybe he was being a little paranoid, what with everything that had been going on over the last few days. Maybe Karka 'was' busy, it was plausible given his own department Heads were running around making sure everything was ready for final departure. he decided to let it drop for the time being, besides, he could always contact him directly if the need arose ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 9, 2016 14:42:01 GMT
Karka was leant over an electron microscope, checking its functionality with several implements - some of which none of his new staff had ever heard of before - on hand nearby. Several were for probing the specimen and verifying the stability of its vital signs. The request from the CO had been unusual, and Karka had raised an eyebrow as he'd exited the ward room. Escude had called him back; evidently he'd noticed Psonoir's surprise, something in Karka's gait making him ask his new science officer whether his orders were understood or not. Karka said that they were and had made no further comment; the Charon's Captain had dismissed him cordially enough.
Half of the instruments Karka had replicated were beyond Starfleet's current technical and scientific knowledge; he had drawn on information that spanned several centuries - a growth tree a deconstructionist would love to pick apart he thought - particularly of the most discovery-oriented and intensive couple of centuries leading up to around the time of Karka's birth, when funding for science projects on Hybrudea was at its highest ever level.
Such times (yet to come of course speaking strictly chronologically) had given rise to the multiphasic transducer, the Alceti Equation and its accompanying graviton field theory - the first real crack any culture had made at quantum gravity and come close to fully succeeding - the Phenomenological Psychologic Processor, now with a speed of 40 yottahertz (the latest model, a copy of which was installed in Karka's brain, allowing for acceleration of consciousness in moments of peril) and the 11 dimensional plasma cutter.
Now having just set his new department to the pattern of work he desired a voice came over the comm that he recognised as belonging to Ensign Lopez, a security officer. His presence was requested on deck 11, in a room reserved for the security department's senior officers. Lopez greeted him pleasantly at the door, "Commander. Please come in."
"Thank you, Ensign." He stepped through the door and saw the Chief of Security - Luc Messier - and three other security officers along with the Chief Medical Officer Townes all sitting at one end of the table. Messier smiled and gestured for his new shipmate to take a seat. Karka obliged, looking around the room and at the other faces at the table.
"What do you drink, Commander?" Messier asked.
Karka saw the drink glasses before the others. "Gin and tonic, please, sir, if you have one." He adjusted the collar of his blue uniform. Messier nodded and signalled to Lopez; the Ensign headed to the replicator and produced a double gin and tonic, placing it before Karka who took it, thanking the man.
"We like to welcome new senior staff with a get together here," Messier said, sipping at something that looked like a scotch, "We treat all our department heads as equals, regardless of rank." The others made noises of approval, "Here, here," raising of glasses.
"I'm honoured," Karka nodded, taking a sip, his eyes for some reason falling on Dr Townes and her long hair - he cleared his mind - in his mind's eye, he saw himself vigorously shaking his head. He'd caught her eye, or she'd caught his eye; he couldn't be sure.
There was a clearing of the throat, Psonoir realising it was coming from Messier, "Commander... Say for instance," he coughed, "Ah ha, hypothesise for a moment... If the Federation didn't exist, nor Starfleet, where would your loyalties lie?"
Psonoir paused, taking in Messier for a second; the CTSO was a well built man, seemed fair and reasonable, certainly nothing overtly malicious about him, though there was something in his manner that'd temporarily confused Psonoir, put him on guard. "With Risa, of course," he said. There was laughter, general merriment. Karka continued, "Well, sir, I couldn't imagine a time without a Federation; your question remains purely hypothetical." Oh the irony, he thought, images of his life in the 29th century flashing before him. "Out of interest, where would yours lie, Commander?" he asked.
Messier laughed, raising his glass and tossing back the scotch, "No, you're right, Mr Psonoir, the question is ridiculous. Of course all our loyalties lie with our ship and with Starfleet; where else, except Risa?" Chuckling. "It's strange though that the Captain takes you on at this time, a specialist, so I've read - at the request of the XO - in genetic engineering of the humanoid form. I can't think why he'd want you at this particular time, for this task force... Admiral Connolly isn't out to kill augments after all... in fact he hates the very idea of wars over eugenics, as most do."
"I'm sure Captain Escude values my expertise in the many other areas I'm able to apply myself," Karka said, "Who are we to question the Captain's judgement."
"Oh he's not questioning," Lopez laughed, walking round the table making sure everyone's drinks, water or otherwise, were filled up or otherwise as they liked them.
"No," Messier said slowly, looking at the ceiling seeming to ruminate, "Though I'm sure plenty will. It's interesting isn't, Mr Psonoir, that since the time of the Third World War no augments nor eco-terrorists have ever been brought to a proper trial for their atrocities during those years?"
Karka raised another eyebrow. Where did that come from? "It is interesting," he conceded, "But it's probably because they were nearly all wiped out during the conflict. World War III... Not one of our finer moments."
"Indeed not."
Twenty minutes later Karka departed the security department's briefing room, breathing a sigh of relief as he walked down the corridor. Well, wasn't that unnerving! Messier's odd line of questioning - for that was what it'd felt like; an interrogation - and obvious diplomatic manoeuvring, along with a general je ne sais quoi in the room, had left him thoroughly disoriented. He searched his memory archives again for Juan Escude, this time focussing on his ship the Charon's senior staff complement circa 2260... Ah, Messier, he was there all right, but nothing remarkable was noted in the file the Archive Altarpsi had on him - a page of information which gathered what all cultures Hybrudeans operating out of Altarpsi had on Commander 1st Class Luc Messier dating over a 600 year period.
"Attention all decks, attention all decks, Captain Escude returning to ship from the Massachusetts on shuttle Alcibiades. The Captain has informed the officer of the watch that all senior staff are to report to the ward room in thirty minutes."
As the message from the bridge started its repeat Commander Jaso's yeoman, Lovano, came jogging round the corridor stopping Karka in his tracks. "Sir, we're receiving a transmission from the USS Excalibur. The XO has let me know that Commander Schirra wishes to speak with you."
Psonoir nodded, "I'll take it in my quarters." He headed there and found that Schirra was communicating on a secure channel, using a code that courtesy of his particular insight into 23rd century Starfleet affairs he knew to be one used exclusively by Intelligence. "Daniel," he greeted the face of his former XO, "I've just had the most extraordinary conversation with the Chief of Security and others of the senior staff. It was supposed to be a welcoming committee, though it felt more like an interrogation. Hmm," he shrugged his shoulders, "Probably just new assignment jitters... Apologies, sir, what was it that you wanted to talk about?"
<Tag Schirra>
"Strange, also... I was informed of your contacting me by the first officer through one of her yeoman. Odd that she would know about a secure intelligence channel. In any case, perhaps she wanted me to answer it as soon as I could..."
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 14, 2016 21:58:40 GMT
Arriving in orbit around Titan, Dan informed the Commodore: "I'll transport over to the Massachusetts. You have the Conn Commander." Alyana said, leaving the Bridge .... Frustrated with her constant lack of forthcoming, he decided to contact Karka to see how he was settling in on the Charon. Asking the Communications Officer to contact Commander Psonoir on a secure channel, he entered the Captains ready room and waited. Moments later his Comm was put through to the screen on the desk: =^= Daniel .. I have just had the most extraordinary conversation with the Chief of Security and others of the Senior Staff .. It was supposed to be a welcoming committee though it felt more like an interrogation .. Probably just new assignment jitters .. .. Also .. I was informed of your contacting me by the first officer through one of her yeoman .. Odd that she would know about a secure intelligence channel .. In any case,= perhaps she wanted me to answer it as soon as I could .. .. Apologies Sir what was it that you wanted to talk about =^= =^= To be honest I just wanted to see how things were going over there .. It seems strange not to have you over here caressing the warp core =^= =^= Oh .. OK .. Well as I said .. The 'welcome' was less than conventional but otherwise I'm settling in I suppose .. Daniel .. I have the feeling that you wanted to talk but for some reason are hesitating .. .. We have time before departure for Denab § 2 why not transport over here ? =^= =^= The commodore has gone to the Massachusetts .. Don't worry about it .. I'm sure we will get time to chat .. Schirra out =^= He closed the Comm before Karka could persuade him to transport over and voice his concerns in person. Had he done so he wasn't one hundred percent certain he would have come back. He made a decision and tapped the operation key on the screen: "Computer. Isolate this console from the main computer and records banks ... Authorization: Schirra Gamma Epsilon Nine Delta." "Isolation complete." "Connect to Communications ... Open a Alpha Secure Channel ... Commander Erika Asimal ... Current location ... Earth." He waited patiently while the computer did as instructed, finally his friend appeared on screen: =^= Daniel .. I'm guessing you wouldn't be calling unless you needed something .. So let's cut the pleasantries and tell me what you want .. I'm busy =^=
=^= Good to speak to you too Erica .. You really should work on your social skills a little more =^= Dan said, trying not to grin.
=^= I'm two hundred meters below ground .. I see sunshine seemingly every other birthday so pardon me if I'm a little terse ! =^=
=^= Great .. .. .. .. I'll take you out for something to eat when I get back .. How's that ? =^=
=^= Promises Promises .. .. .. What do you want Daniel ? =^= he smiled, knowing the next sentence would be the breaker. If Erika refused to help he would need to find an alternate route, and given his location could prove somewhat difficult.
=^= All records .. Audio and visual for the following people for the last say five days .. .. .. Admiral William Connolly .. Commodore Alyana Ryat .. Captain Juan Escude .. Commander Karka Psonoir =^=
=^= The Head of Starfleet Security .. The Federation President .. And a partridge in a pear tree ! .. .. .. Are you joking here .. Have you 'ANY' idea what could happen should this be discovered ? =^=
=^= We have known each other for twenty years Erika .. You know I would not ask if it wasn't important =^= Dan said, worrying that the woman may not agree to what he was asking her to do.
=^= You've isolated that terminal I assume ? =^=
=^= No .. We are on ship-wide Comms =^= he replied, exasperation growing.
=^= Wouldn't surprise me .. .. Twelve hours .. And 'NO' I cant do it any quicker =^= The Comm snapped off and Dan sat back in his chair. Was he crossing that line here, or was he just trying to justify why he was being kept out of the most basic decisions an Executive Officer would normally be involved in ? .... He couldn't decide either way, but one thing was certain, unless Ryat started talking he was done with the Excalibur, done with being Ryat's Exec' and done with being out of the proverbial loop. As an Intelligence Officer he made the decisions, found what he was looking for and acted appropriately. yes, he had 'tentatively' decided to remain on the Excalibur as long as Commodore Ryat required him to be her Executive Officer, but it wasn't set in proverbial stone, and this situation was certainly not solidifying his position or possibly trustworthiness. Instructing the Computer to delete 'ALL' records of the last fifteen minutes from the ships records, he got up and left Ryat's Office. Rather than returning to the Bridge he headed straight for his quarters and sealed the door behind him as he entered ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 15, 2016 22:20:48 GMT
Escude had kept himself confined to the ready room for almost the entirety of the task force's time at Titan. The silent foreboding captain, for such was the picture Karka had built of him, seemed verily unwilling to see the majority of his crew, and even approximately half of the senior staff, he had observed. He had watched from the science station on the starboard side, Luc Messier, Maria Jaso, even Ensign Lopez, being admitted to the ready room during Karka's stay on the bridge, though no others.
He was now in the mess hall, at the bar perusing his notes on genetic engineering of human augments in line with Escude's request, a glass of ice water in front of him. The grey-orange globe of Titan dominated the view out the viewing ports, chromium-grey specks of vessels - leading the way in their collective orbit about the large moon - representing some of the vessels of the task force.
"Mr Psonoir, is it?" Commander Jaso took a seat alongside him at the bar.
"Sir," he straightened up, "What can I do for you? Would you like a refreshment? Bartender." He called, not awaiting her response.
"No, Commander," she interrupted, "I've merely come to check on how you're settling in. It's my job, you know. How did the communication with your former XO - my rival, probably - go?" she said quietly.
"I'm not sure I can answer that in this... august, company." Karka said, looking around at the other people in the mess and shaking his head after the fact, wondering what'd possessed him to say that, and gulping back the rest of his ice water. "He was merely checking up," he said, smacking his lips. "What personal interest should you take in such affairs? I only told you the result of the comm because it was revealed to me before that you knew about the secure communique and was eager to tell me the news. Why are you..." he hesitated before framing the question quite like this, "Helping us?" Meaning he and the rest of the Excalibur crew.
"The Captain's got other plans once we head out for Denab," Jaso replied, "He doesn't much like Admiral Collonny."
"He was handpicked by the Admiral for this assignment," Karka said, fencing the remark and again requesting drinks for both of them.
"Half the staff are on his side."
"On what side's the Captain, sir? What are these other plans?" Karka was more now intent on his gin and tonic. First officer Jaso politely pushed her drink aside and thanked the Hybrudean for his company, leaving the mess. So he'd landed himself in a civil war, or at least a struggle between members of the senior staff of the Charon about where each other's... loyalties lay? Some memory did return to him now, something that was mentioned by Daniel at the outset of the mission... Triaud II, that planet which Escude and CTSO Messier had been discussing outside Admiral Connolly's office at headquarters. Triaud II... he would have to do some research.
He turned with his two gin and tonics - Jaso's abandoned - towards the rest of the mess, too soon being called over to a table with - oh dear - Luc Messier and an officer from the Ops department, junior by the looks of it. "Take a seat, Psonoir. And drop the ranks this time; we on the Captain's staff are equals regardless of rank remember? He likes to gauge the competency, the... willingness of his officers to step up to roles of importance when they arrive."
"Messier, your file's clean," Karka quipped as he sat, "I did enjoy the bit about the dog, though. Quite entertaining."
"Oh, excuse me, Mr Psonoir, it seems we're breaking orbit." Karka raised an eyebrow, sipping at his drink; Connolly had seemingly decided it was time they were on their way to Denab and surrendered Gorn territory - a humanitarian mission to resettle Gorn civilians displaced by the diplomatic and occasionally militaristic campaign to acquire the failing Confederate's territory - ha, they would be seeing about that. Connolly's dislike of the Gorn was well known.
<Tag All - task force pressing on?>
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Alyana Ryat
Commodore
Registered: Sept 5, 2007 16:34:56 GMT
Posts: 347
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Post by Alyana Ryat on Feb 16, 2016 19:29:23 GMT
Aly was starting to worry about Dan, it made a change from worrying about her own frustrations. She didn't appreciate her CEO being poached be it had been presented to her as a fait accompli . She had recognised it for what it was within seconds of receiving the transfer 'request' and had known better than to protest. She wondered precisely who was upset at her and why. She knew she had to work through this and avoid dragging any of her crew with her.
She hates not knowing what's going on. Task force to Gorn space, there are so many ways that can go wrong. Not to mention the extra danger the information gap might put them in. She has all ready been summoned at no notice to a meeting on the Massachusetts, as far as she could tell the purpose of the meeting had been to see how quickly she would jump. She could handle this sort of 'game', she didn't,t like them but after years as a diplomat she understood them.
The thing that is currently playing on her mind as she sits in her chair on the bridge after taking the Con back from Dan, is Dan himself. He hadn't been acting normally, the look that had flashed across his face when she had hurried off the bridge to go to the meeting suggested he was hurt and angry. Aly guessed that the lack of information was getting to him as well. Intelligence officers were used to having all the information to hand. She didn't blame him for that frustration, she was in the same place herself. The problem was that if she was guessing correctly he was blaming her for the information gap. She didn't understand that. She had told him everything that she had been told about the mission. There hadn,t been much. She had even told him that she couldn't tell him about what else was discussed back at Starfleet Command, why Dan would be that interested in changes in evaluation formats and how her career was going to look in them she had no idea. Of course, it hadn't been a discussion about career evaluation, it had been a series of carefully veiled threats from her superiors. Even if you hadn't been ordered not to say anything about it, you didn't,t tell your subordinates about that sort of things when you were anywhere you could be overheard or recorded. She was going to ask Dan's advice as soon as there was a way to do so safely.
She didn't want to drop Dan in to the middle of this but, something told her that if she didn't do something then it wa highly likely that her XO, who was also a highly trained investigator and a very smart man, was going to poke what he saw as a problem. She wondered why he couldn't be patient and trust her, then again, any level of trust from Dan was important. She knew she had to do something but she had absolutely no idea what.
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 20, 2016 1:56:41 GMT
The task force was hurtling towards Gorn territory, nine ships led by the refit Constitutions the Massachusetts and the Excalibur - a veritable two-pronged assault upon the already surrendered Gorn territory in which a few rebellious sects of the Gorn military had refused to give up their commands and had sworn to defend their territory's outer colonies to the death.
The USS Charon was towards the back of the formation, its recently refurbished interior, upgrades to its engine complex - how Karka wished to have a sight of that - and strengthened structural integrity fields, navigational deflector repulsive capacity, making it a match for the best of the Confederate's vessels should conflict with the disobedient elements of the Gorn military occur.
In the science lab, he pondered over the exchange with first, Maria Jaso, then the growingly irksome Commander Luc Messier and his... cronies, he believed was the appropriate term. The progress on the analysis of the human augment tissue samples was rapid and he'd say almost perfect... the staff's efficiency rating would be improved yet, he thought, poring over a bulky padd in his office. It seemed curious, in fact the incidence must surely have some real connection: that Escude had ordered him to research augment tissues, their genetic engineering processes that'd allowed for their transformation, and hours later CTSO Messier, Lopez and Dr Townes had quizzed him on what he'd thought were his loyalties, or at least made extensive references to the augments.
He reasoned it must be the case that CTSO Messier, his underling Lopez, CMO Townes and extremely likely others - if the XO's claims about half the senior staff being on Escude's 'side' were true - were those that XO Jaso had informed him were meeting with the Captain in - what Juan Escude had thought to be - secrecy in his quarters.
Psonoir swung around in his seat, accessing the LCARS database and looking up Triaud II; as he'd thought - the world was nearby Earth, only 80 lightyears away from the task force now, and what was more that distance was closing - Triaud II was for the moment in the task force's direction of travel (albeit peripherally)... And yes... Messier talking to Escude at SF Command, mentioning Triaud II. Karka felt an unpleasant feeling creep over him - that normally associated with treachery, betrayal, treason - ... Perhaps his imagination, but he was suspicious.
Did Escude have other designs besides pacifying Gorn resistance? If he had any designs on the Gorn at all?
He researched Triaud II further, finding little or nothing of note of its current inhabitants, its industrial output, trade agreements, routes of Federation Starfleet and civilian vessels and so on. The colony - unaligned, though technically under Federation protection was governed by a republic; the president was a Horace McNulty; the minister of propaganda - a position whose existence was strikingly unusual - was a Baratz Talavi [OOC: undercover leader of the augments].
There was little to be gained this way: names in a database, most of them without portraits; nebulous or insignificant backgrounds. If the puzzle of Escude, Messier, Triaud II, and augments was to be deciphered the answer - and perhaps the augments - must lie with and perhaps on the planet. Perhaps, he thought - with a shade of apprehension - they would soon be taking a closer look...
Despite these blind alleys, he did have a plan to get on the inside, so to speak, of Escude's team of collaborators. He signalled to the senior science officer present and departed the lab, searching out sickbay.
Meanwhile, the task force was less than a parsec from the outer edge of formally surrendered Gorn space. Connolly on the Massachusetts would now be passing the message throughout the task force in his likely militant tones, for he detested the Gorn: there were Gorn military leaders here, inflamed passions, intent on revolt, thoughts of coup d'etat in their heads. The Gorn were entrenched on planets' surfaces, orbital stations, deep space installations, flotillas - ragged armadas in revolt - the task force would have to be mindful.
<Tag Schirra, Ryat>
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 21, 2016 0:43:00 GMT
=^= This is it .. .. All you could get ? =^= Dan commented after reading Erika's report.
=^= I could did deeper but to be perfectly honest .. If I can't find it .. Then what you are looking for isn't there .. Even Command don't have the 'know-how' to hide things from us for long =^= Dan looked through the records he had requested once again, knowing it was a futile effort. Part of him was actually relieved that he didn't find some glaring evidence that either Commodore Ryat, or Starfleet Command, or both, were maneuvering against him in some way. Not that he knew of any reason they would of course, but hey, 'I wouldn't be the first to find himself on the wrong end of a seriously sticky situation I was not about to get out of' he thought. So, why the proverbial cloak and dagger antics ? Keeping him out of Command meetings, keeping the transfer of Psonoir from him ? =^= OK .. .. Thank you .. You can drop it now Erika .. .. .. No .. Hold on .. Concentrate on Escude .. Dig deeper on him . There has to be something there =^=
=^= Mind if I ask you a question .. While I have your attention ? .. .. .. Karka .. .. .. I thought you two were friends .. So why request information on him ? =^=
=^= Call it curiosity .. But yes .. He is a friend of mine and one I would hope could have come to me if there was something amiss with his sudden transfer .. Forget him =^=
=^= There is another option here you know .. Commander Psonoir may well be totally in the dark about any subterfuge attached to his being assigned away from the Excalibur =^=
=^= True enough .. .. .. OK Erika .. Speak soon .. Schirra out =^= He closed the Comm and repeated his instruction for the record of the conversation to be completely expunged from the ships computer. They had been underway for three hours and he was due on duty ... Leaving his quarters he made his way to the Bridge. The 'window' was clear, giving the Bridge Officers a ten meter by two meter panoramic view of space. The Massachusetts could be seen one thousand meters off their Starboard and a ships length ahead. He still didn't like the idea that the Flagship was playing 'second fiddle' to Admiral Connolly, but the man out-ranked Ryat, so that as the saying goes, was that. He still hadn't approached the Command seat, and it's occupant, he was still tentatively annoyed at what he could only see as exclusion, but he decided to put it behind him and do what he was assigned to. He walked to the center seat, Ryat looked up at his approach: "That time already ?" she said, dramatically stretching out an ache in her lower back, "Still don't like this new seat." she said, grinning. "You could always 'demand' the old one put back. You 'DO' have the authority you know." Dan said, realizing whatever tension there was between them was at least subsiding, "Though they say this one should be better for you erm, back." he said, smiling as his Commanding Officer again theatrically stretched for effect. "Do you have a minute ?" Alyana asked, making the question an instruction, before he could take the seat. "You want me to lean on someone about the chair, right ?" he said, adopting the air of a twentieth century Mob enforcer. "May as well use your skills." she said, moving to the side of the Bridge and motioning for the Junior Officer at the Comms Station to move away, Dan followed her and waited, "About what has been going on ....." she began when they were relatively alone. "Don't worry about it." Daniel interrupted, "Not the first time I've been out of the proverbial loop, so to speak. I think I just reacted out of character given I was still toying with returning to Intelligence or staying on as your Exec' ... I would have to say though, that 'if' you couldn't tell me whatever it was, for reasons known only to you, Connolly, or Command, then you should have said as much. If you didn't know anything, so by definition couldn't tell me anyway, then you could again have said as much. As Executive Officer I should know precisely everything you know, so not knowing, raises flags with me OK. Not only because of my Intel' background, it would, should, with any Exec' worthy of his position." Alyana seemed to mull over his comments for a few seconds before coming to a decision: "You know my Command Access Code ... Feel free to look around ........ Though I have the feeling you may have already done so." "We should be on final approach in six hours. I'll have you paged thirty minutes before that. Enjoy your rest Commodore." Dan said, turning away and strolling to the center seat before dropping into it. he didn't look to see if Ryat had moved. he was grateful that the initial tension between them was gone, but he wasn't about to hang out the proverbial shoulder to cry on for her. She should have spoken to him, simple as that in his opinion ! ... then again, Alyana Ryat hadn't attained the Flag Rank of Commodore because she was a soft touch. She knew her job, and knew it well, so maybe he could forgive the small lack of judgement on her part, hell, he'd made more than one erroneous decision in his time so why 'sulk' on her mistake. "Overlay Star-map of our current position." he ordered, and watched as the 'window' superimposed the tactical information he had requested, he didn't see Alyanaleave the Bridge, but hoped she would take his advice and get some rest before whatever lay ahead, "Add all known Gorn activity to the plot." "The newest information we have is five weeks old Commander." the Operations Chief informed him. "Five 'WEEKS' ! ...... Bloody Hell. The whole Gorn Hegemony, or what's left of it, must know we are coming, and would have made provisions for what they could only perceive as one last attack on their birthright." "Well, if someone was coming to kick me off my porch, I'd be ready." someone offered as their opinion, alas, Dan completely agreed. "Go to Yellow Alert ... Instruct the task-force to do likewise ... NOW !" Dan ordered ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 24, 2016 22:50:43 GMT
Wandering through the ship appearing almost lost, Karka started slightly at the sound of the blaring claxon and the pulses of light around him. "Yellow alert," he murmured, looking back the way to sickbay then deciding better against it and pressing ahead for the turbolift and the science lab again.
"All hands, all hands, this is the Captain, communication from the flag throughout the task force, 'All hands to battlestations, Gorn vessels suspected in the region'."
Five weeks old data, Karka learned once reaching the science lab and resuming his studies on the augment tissue. A dangerous miscalculation by Connolly who, as Karka understood it, was almost desperate to get his hands on the Gorn, surrendered territory or not, and thus would seem to have foregone sending probes, reconnaissance vessels to the region so that they wouldn't be warping in blind.
He asked the xenobiologist Melui who apparently had Escude's ear whether any augments had been reported in Gorn space five weeks ago or more, or if the augments may be being used by the Gorn, imprisoned by them or otherwise; before Melui, looking up from his bench and peeling back the adhesive gamma ray specs, could respond, Karka remembered the conversation with Townes in sickbay...
"So, Doctor, what did the Captain say at the conference?"
"You mean Ximier? At the Cellular Regeneration Conference on Qumt IV?"
"No, Doctor..." Karka said, following her into the main part of sickbay where the biobeds were, "The meeting with your close friend Captain Escude, and his associates Commander Messier and Ensign Lopez. I notice how much time the XO spends on the bridge when he's away discussing... whatever it is he discusses."
Townes looked at a rack of hyposprays, reordering them, and then again as if it was compulsive. Clearly she was nervous, "You haven't been aboard for long enough for the Captain to feel secure around you; he's a complex man and likes to know that the people around him are people he can -"
"But Doctor, this was a staff conference," he said disbelieving, "And Commander Jaso's never invited either? What kind of ship captain personally appoints a staff that he can't be sure he'll trust on first meeting?" Karka recalled then that his transfer had been forced upon him by Admiral Connolly, though Escude must've given tacit approval at the very least, and while that may go a way to explaining why he was excluded from staff meetings, the exclusion didn't make sense in terms of regulations and protocol - especially as only half the staff had been sent for by Escude for the last conference anyway.
Townes had stonewalled him for the rest of the conversation, advising he return to his augment studies for 'they would be needed' in her words; even his casual come-ons were met with no success - quite to the contrary - and he'd left sickbay soon to be greeted by the sound of yellow alert claxons.
"He said nothing about the augments, sir," Melui said, "Why do you ask?" Before Karka could respond they suddenly found they had to steady themselves - Karka heard a change in engine pitch, well used to the gradations in tone and which warp speed they signified - he'd already got a fairly good idea before boarding the Excalibur that first time. They were rocked slightly as various thrusters were firing across the ship's exterior.
"We're changing course..." he looked round the science lab seeing the confused looks of his team - some he noticed, remained quiet, or tried to appear surprised. He went up to the nearest of these, xenobiologist Melui, "Alright, what's going on here, Melui, clearly you know something."
A Constitution class vessel shot away from the other eight ships. The USS Charon, breaking with formation and ramping up velocity to warp 8, now broke out of the Gorn space that they'd just entered and headed on a course perpendicular to the task force's. On the bridge, Escude, pitched forward in his seat in anticipation, ordered XO Jaso to put the ship under condition of communications blackout, and to fine adjust their course towards Triaud II away from it at random time intervals.
<Tag Excalibur & task force>
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 25, 2016 22:51:59 GMT
With the task force now at 'Yellow Alert' they continued their advance on Gorn territory ..... After speaking with Amanda, he had decided to put his decision off for the next twenty four hours to concentrate on doing what he was hired to do ... At warp six, they were still over twelve hours from their destination, and with the Commodore hopefully resting he remained on the Bridge. He'd heard nothing back from Erika, so could only presume she was still working on the task assigned her.
Lieutenant Unwin, the Officer appointed Acting Chief Engineer for the duration of Karka's absence, entered the Bridge and leaned in to speak to him:
"We suffered a minuscule drop off in warp performance a few moments ago. I didn't want it broadcast over the Comm system." Dan frowned.
"Explanations ?" he asked.
"Non ... Performance dropped one percent below our nominal below ninety nine point four for three hundredths of a second." Unwin answered, "Nothing to have us diving for the lifeboats, but something warranting investigation. If nothing else Commander Psonoir knew how to keep the core purring."
"That he did." Daniel said, "Keep me informed Lieuten ...."
"Sir !" the Duty Helmsman said suddenly, "One of the Task Force is changing course and heading away."
"Which ship ?"
"The USS Charon Commander."
"Has the Massachusetts ordered the course change ?" he asked, wondering why other vessels hadn't been informed of the unexpected change of plan.
"Doesn't look like it .... They are hailing the Charon, but no reply. They are increasing speed." the man said.
"Open a channel to the Charon. Get the Commodore up here. Now !" Dan said. Hardly surprised when he was informed they were no acknowledging.
"Sir, they will be moving outside tracking range in seven minutes." the Security Officer informed him as Ryat entered the Bridge. Dan gave her a quick update as he got up from her seat, reminding her that her Chief Engineer was aboard the Charon.
"Communications ... Contact Admiral Connolly aboard the Massachusetts, Request permission to break from the Task Force to pursue the Charon." Ryat ordered.
As they waited two of the Task Force vessels began to fall behind, seconds later another two, all siting anomalies with their warp cores, then the Massachusetts too began to slow until it was struggling to maintain warp three point six. Daniel watched the tactical plot on the 'window' as the USS Charon got further and further away. If they hesitated much longer they would be gone ... He was about to point this out when the Communications Officer confirmed they could separate from the Task force and go in pursuit of the Charon.
"Change course. Increase to warp eight point two." Alyana ordered, "They have a good head sta ...." she was saying as the Excalibur began to slow, first to warp six, then down to warp four, the Charon increasing the distance between them every second. Once they passed beyond the capability of the long-range sensors, it would be all but impossible to re-establish contact. Whatever had possessed Captain Escude to take such action was unknown at this point, but it stood to reason that it was obviously something worth loosing everything he had worked for over his years in Star Fleet. Dan turned to Unwin, who ran from the Bridge en-route to Engineering.
He looked at Ryat but couldn't read the expression on her face, then he turned to the 'window' and the tactical plot, just in time to see the green arrow-head blink out completely.
The Charon had gone ! ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 26, 2016 3:33:53 GMT
Karka was becoming exasperated at not being able to gain access to Escude, or any of the other members of his 'inner circle'. The Captain he'd heard had shut himself off in his ready room, admitting no guests except for the trusted few. It was now completely clear to Psonoir that Escude had plotted with these people, possibly since before the ship's arrival at Spacedock where the Excal had also been berthed, to defy their orders (whatever mission the Charon was next to be assigned) and to head straight to the star system of Triaud.
With the task force's ships' engines effectively taken out, if say the Excalibur and the Massachusetts with their refitted systems pursued, under normal conditions they would've soon caught up with the Charon. But as it was the Charon was now less than 60 lightyears away now Triaud II, and the planet remained as much of a mystery to Karka as when he'd first delved into the databanks in search of information.
What he - now sitting in the science lab poring over his notes on augment body chemistry - really needed to do was send a message to the Excalibur; something on a subspace bandwidth that would go undetected by the Charon but would be picked up by the Excal - he could configure the security protocols of such a message to give the desired effect.
The augment studies - 'they will be needed', Dr Townes words returned to him again - made him think of things about Triaud II that didn't require perusing innumerable data files for information on the unaligned world. If the augments weren't in Gorn space then, the research he'd been conducting on augment body chemistry could only apply to Triaud II. Augments on Triaud II? Why hadn't Escude just told Command; 'Superhumans on Triaud II, potentially dangerous, recommend send a small fleet to pacify.' Instead he'd violated regulations and had set off on a crusade all by himself. It didn't make sense, unless he had something personal against them - though they'd been extinct for centuries - those infamous WW III augments found on the DY-100 in the 23rd century the exception.
"Melui. What is the Captain doing?" he asked, leaning back in his seat.
"I told you, sir, I don't know. I'm as scared as the rest of you."
"What you mean to say is you and your accomplices are as scared as the rest of us. Melui," he smiled, having the man lean close to hear, "Your Captain's acts are treacherous, but who you should really be afraid of is me. I'm not like the others, and I know a good deal more than you could ever imagine." "Careful..." Shut up, Lirwa.
Melui was mystified but followed Karka when he stood and walked to a quiet area of the lab. Melui said, "Ok, Escude's gone too far this time. There are augments on Triaud II. He found about them shortly after leaving Spacedock."
"Just before joining the task force? He laid his plans quickly then, hm?"
"Oh no, he's got other plans once he reaches the planet. He's been planning this for a long time." Karka was about to push for more when Melui put a hand up, "Sorry, sir, I'm not saying anything else. Just don't mention this conversation to Messier or Townes, alright?"
Karka headed to his quarters and set up the secure channel that would go undetected by the Charon, aiming in the general direction of the task force's estimated position (based on their current impulse trajectory as they'd headed into Gorn space). The channel was fuzzy, chopping digitally and breaking every few seconds, "USS Excalibur or any other vessel in the task force, this is Lieutenant Commander Karka Psonoir of the USS Charon. Captain Escude has set a course for Triaud II... Sabotage has disabled your warp engines, I'm going to be working on a fix if Unwin doesn't fix them first," he smiled. The image of whichever bridge - it was clearly that - was on the screen was breaking up badly; impossible to distinguish which bridge he was looking at, which ship had picked up the transmission. "Are you reading me, task force? Admiral Connolly? Commodore? Commander Schirra?" he worked dials and flipped switches, high pitched sounds as he readjusted the bandwidth, "I repeat Escude has set the Charon on a course for Triaud II. Suspected augments - possibly Eugenics Wars in origin - on the surface of the planet."
<Tag Excalibur, task force>
Having no idea if they'd got any of that, Psonoir sat and waited. "Why don't you jump ahead a few days and find out. You'll like what you'll find on Triaud II, I can tell you that, Karka... oh in case you were wondering, yes, I'll be there to meet you." Lirwa. He groaned.
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 27, 2016 2:06:22 GMT
< tag : Commodore Ryat >
The Excalibur having reduced speed, the Charon had now passed beyond their long-range sensors ! ..... The Comm chirped to life as Lieutenant Unwin reported from Engineering:
=^= I can't understand it .. Diagnostics say we have full warp capability and in fact could exceed our maximum specified rating by a serious percentage before causing any appreciable damage .. If nothing else Commander Psonoir knew his business .. We second-guessed some of his more 'radical' modifications but truth be told I'd like him here to figure this out Sir =^=
"Commodore, we have dropped to warp three point one." the Helmsman informed them.
=^= Lieutenant .. Any way you can work around the problem ? =^= Ryat asked.
=^= With all due respect .. I would have to 'FIND' the problem first .. Whoever did this knew his way around propulsion systems .. He also knew how to pass the 'glitch' from ship to ship =^=
=^= Come up to the Bridge Lieutenant =^=
Ryat and Daniel looked at each other, both thinking, and instantly dismissing, the startlingly obvious. Karka Psonoir was the Chief Engineer of the Federations Flag Ship, if anyone knew how to carry out the sabotage it would be him, and his somewhat 'convenient' transfer would afford him ample opportunity. So, ruling out the obvious, they would need to figure out an alternate culprit ... The best time, if there 'was' a best time, would have been when the task force convened in orbit around Titan prior to departure. People were moving from ship to ship, someone could have been tasked with incorporating the necessary software into the core systems. it could have been triggered remotely, or if Escude knew exactly when he was going to run, it was a simple task to have the failures coincide with his change of course ... The option were countless at this point, and startlingly inconsequential. They were slowing, while the Charon was, elsewhere ! ... unwin entered the Bridge and moved to the Engineering Panel.
"Lieutenant. Is it possible to reinitialize the drive systems from the secondary computer core ?" Dan asked.
"No Sir .... Whatever had embedded itself into the system would detect the new or updated version and simply affect that as it did the original. We may get five minutes at maximum warp but after that we'd be back to where we are now."
"What about dumping the core memory ... Could that work ?"
"We've entered the Toluene Expanse en-route to the Triaud System already .... If we try this and it doesn't work we will be dead in the proverbial water with no means of communication. We would be here until someone came looking for us. Given the task force are experiencing similar issues we could be out here a while, Sir."
"Do we have any other options ?" Dan asked Ryat, who reluctantly replied in the negative, she nodded to Schirra to continue:
"Lieutenant ..... Transfer life support and artificial gravity to battery back-up." Schirra ordered, there was a few seconds of silence before Unwin replied.
"Commander. With due respect ... If you are thinking what I think you are thinking I must point out tha ......"
"Noted Lieutenant ! ..... The secondary memory core is intact. Correct ?" Dan asked, seeing Ryat sat silent in the Center seat waiting patiently.
"Intact ? .... Yes." Unwin replied, his fear at what might be asked of him obvious.
"Purge the computer core ... Authorization: Schirra-Epsilon-Omega-Two-Two ....."
Unwin looked at his Commanding Officer, who remained stone-faced but nodded fractionally to confirm she agreed with the order. Turning to his panel, Unwin enter a series of commands then looked at Schirra. The Executive Officer nodded and the Acting Chief Engineer placed his finger of the red-lit pad. The ship fell deathly silent as every system shut down. They dropped from warp and immediately began to drift yawing to port lazily. Everyone knew that the purge, or complete formatting of the ships main computer core could take long long minutes, and in the mean time the Excalibur was at the mercy of the stars. With nothing working but their life-giving atmosphere, the smallest spec of dust could penetrate through the hull and slam into the matter/antimatter containment chamber, ending the Excalibur in what would be a spectacular light show ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 29, 2016 1:39:56 GMT
Having gathered scattered reports from the ships in the task force - that the Excalibur was following albeit with its crippled engines and was in the Toluene Nebula, and that another ship also had broken away from the pack to pursue but was encountering similar problems - Karka made to return to the science lab. Those augment tissues weren't going to analyse themselves.
Halfway down the corridor to the turbolift he got a call from deck 6; Escude, apparently, had summoned him. Karka stood still in the corridor for a moment - yes, the moment he'd been waiting for had come upon him, but he was apprehensive... was it just that only now the inscrutable CO had decided to let Karka in on whatever secret he held, on whatever the purpose of the mission was? Or did he have an ulterior motive in finally granting his Science Officer a proper audience?
He nodded to the officers present as he stepped onto the deck, Commander Messier returning it from just outside the turbolift and, Karka now noticed beyond Messier, two of the security chief's enlisteds standing either side of the briefing room. He cleared his throat and approached, they moved back and the door slid open.
Juan Escude was there sitting alone. He bid Karka to sit and regarded him, only half-interestedly he thought. "Commander... you have some, reservations about our mission." He was sitting back, languid in his chair now scanning over a padd.
"If you mean the incursion into Gorn space then, personally, sir, yes I do." Escude glanced at him briefly, returned to the padd. "However if by, 'mission', sir, you mean our course correction towards the planet Triaud II, then I can only ask respectfully, sir, why?"
Escude ignored his question and brought out a book, a real book; he thumbed through it lackadaisically and found the page he wanted, "We live in a time," he read, "Where one ill-timed decision from any of the powers that govern our world may destroy all our civilisation, and usher in a new dark age for mankind. Worse than any conceivable tyranny." He shut the book (Karka saw it was the work of a mid-21st century human scientist), pushing it aside. He noticed the dark rings under Escude's eyes. "Do you think, Commander, that I'm not aware of what happens on my ship? Who talks to who?"
Karka was silent. Escude said, "You were talking to Petty Officer Melui, probing him for information on our destination, what we intend to do there... You know by now that it pertains to the augments, tissues of which I've had you researching. These augments, Commander, are members of Khan Noonian Singh's nation which devastated the world during the Eugenics Wars... They were preserved in cryogenic stasis, and have now set themselves up, in hiding, on Triaud II. They are an obstacle I must overcome."
Again, Karka kept his silence. "Mr Psonoir, you will join Mr Messier, Dr Townes, and Mr Lopez in planning the assault on the augments, as long as I have your assurance, that you will not probe any further into these matters nor discuss them with any other members of the crew."
Karka watched the Captain intently, feeling somehow along the webs of the future that he knew the outcome of all this, had already experienced it - Lirwa lay waiting at Triaud II, thus there was a nexus in spacetime, from which he and Lirwa would be launched into the far future into that scarlet haze at the end of the Wave - which may go a way to explaining the feeling of premonition. He dared not speak of treason, of flagrant disregard for regulations, "And what do you intend to do once you've... pacified the augments, sir?"
Now Escude was silent, and he was shown to the door. Messier smirked at him as they entered the turbolift, making their way to the bridge.
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 29, 2016 21:02:02 GMT
Having already entered the Toluene Expanse, a region of space devoid of any life-giving Suns and almost sixty two light year across, there was zero zero light entering the Bridge through the massive plexi-glass 'window' .... They stood in silence as the ship, now devoid of all power, continued her lazy roll to Port. They had no real sense of the roll obviously, as the ships artificial gravity held them solidly implanted to the deck carpeting. Daniel could just about make out shadows of Officers as they waited for the Engineer to let them know how the 're-boot' was progressing. When Lieutenant Unwin finally had an answer, it wasn't the one they were expecting:
"All systems have now been completely purged .... You do know that this procedure should only be undertaken while in space-dock, and with a fully powered mainframe to restore the systems from."
"Yes, you said as much Lieutenant." Dan said into the darkness, "So how long before we can get underway ?" he heard an almost hysteric laugh somewhere in that same darkness.
"Commander, I tried to tell you earlier ...... The computer will begin restoring systems on a priority basis, Warp drive is pretty much at to bottom end of a long long list of things to do Sir."
"So how long, Lieutenant ?" Ryat asked from the center seat.
"Impulse should be operational within the hour, but warp capability will take approximately six hours."
Had the Bridge been under nominal illumination, everyone would have clearly seen the frustration on Daniel's face ! ... He slammed both palms of his hands against the 'window' and cursed inwardly for a full minute, glaring through the multi-layered plexi-glass as if damning the Charon, wondering if as a final humiliation it would come about to mock the Excalibur's predicament. He knew Psonoir was aboard that ship, and by now must have begun questioning the actions of it's Captain. Whether he could actually 'do' anything was debatable in the extreme, and certainly beyond any chances of his suddenly appearing to assist the Excalibur ...
Removing his hands he watched as the glass automatically removed the hand prints he had made.
"Geez, at least the window cleaner works." he said, frustration oozing from every syllable.
"Lieutenant, is there 'ANY' way we can circumvent the running order ?" Ryat asked.
"Sir ?" the young Acting Chief Engineer replied, wondering if the Commodore was in some way testing him, or if she was deliberately trying to embarrass him in front, or rather, in the darkness, of everyone on the Bridge, "..... I'm not sure what you are asking here."
"Can we change the order ?" she prompted.
"Ma'am .... At this point, the computer core is, for want of a better explanation, a blank page ... It is having to 're-learn' every single line of code from the back-up. At this point I would be surprised if it could explain the value of Pi to more than three decimal places, not that we can actually 'ask' it to at this point, Sir."
The Bridge main lighting suddenly came to life.
Dan wondered how many items there were on the computers' list of things to do, between putting the lights on, and having a fully operational warp drive ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 2, 2016 18:01:31 GMT
There was a certain sense to it being Baratz Talavi, Karka was thinking, the propaganda minister - he'd thought the position's existence strange before - would be just the position the augments would want to infiltrate if their goal was to subvert the political process on Triaud II (an unaligned world nevertheless lying within Federation space), and influence the world's population somehow.
"He's the one we strike at first," Messier said, "You're sure, Mr Psonoir?" Karka replied affirmative. Talavi was just one of several augments on the surface he'd already identified, other names including - these most likely to be augments at least - Clarence Tetho, Mara Higginson, John Vazon, and Axar Kurio. All had been in the Triaud system as far as he could tell for three years or more.
How to act? Escude would know by now that the Excalibur and another vessel had been trying to chase them, and that if the Excalibur could restore its engines it would soon catch up with the Charon - if only when the ship was entering orbit of Triaud II. He had to wait it out, stay involved and not get confined to quarters or the brig.
"Twenty minutes until Triaud II orbit, Captain," helm reported, Escude acknowledging. Sounds, electronic warblings of consoles and the thrum through the deckplates of the Charon levering its way at warp 8 towards the Triaud system. How to stop this man when most of the senior staff were loyal to him before Starfleet?
* * * * *
Deck 9...
Karka was still plotting, "The Captain told you that? Curious." His field of vision had rotated towards the door of the room during her response, and there stood in the open doorway Captain Escude, a spectre-like figure against the brighter light of the corridor. First Officer Jaso followed Karka's look and gasped, standing. Juan Escude - imposing tall man - entered the room.
"Out." He intoned, striding past the XO and taking the chair opposite Karka's; Jaso left the room as ordered and Karka levelled his gaze with the Captain's, immediately finding it hard to endure the piercing grey of his eyes; something violent shone there. "Commander. Did you ever read of the slaughter of the peoples of the Americas in the Southern Hemisphere during World War III?" Without waiting for a response, "I see that you have not, but that you have an associate, a friend perhaps who knows a great deal about such matters." Karka's mind reeled; was the man telepathic? He'd taken a book out again, "I have an interesting excerpt to read to you," flicking through pages:
"Colonel Phillip Green, after subduing the people of San Luis Potosi, led his eco-terrorists further south until they reached the decimated rainforest of the Amazon. There they rooted out and massacred primitive tribes who had never before seen civilisation, or perhaps, as some sources would have it, never before seen civilisation until the war started, when large sections of the forest had been burned or obliterated by thermonuclear devices. One such tribe Green's military planners had designated Amazonas Savagas chi 74, the chief family of which had the local name of Escude, had resisted Green's terrorists, killing approximately two dozen. As a result, upon the Escude tribe's defeat prominent members were subject to torture, abuse, mutilation. Some members were as a natural conclusion to their torture, ground down to basic chemicals, mixtures of these used to produce narcotics that were then sold to the Eastern Coalition, thereby funding Green's rampage through Latin America which ended in the year 2051." Escude looked up from the book, "I am a descendant of one of the few survivors, Commander."
The non-chalance with which Escude had read the excerpt unnerved Karka slightly, though he well understood the reasons for it. "I'm sorry, sir..." Escude's grey eyes bore into his. "Is this to do with the mission, sir? The augments played a role in promoting Phillip Green's eco-terrorists somehow?"
"Yes, and no, Commander. Green is long dead, but, and this has escaped the notice of most of my crew as I'm sure it has our wise leaders at Starfleet Command, he has a living descendant and heir presumptive to his tyranny." Karka stared at the man hard now, magnetised by the intensity of the look and determined to outlast it. The augments must be overcome, Escude had said before, to reach... "You have already discovered his name in the database of Triaud II citizens, Psonoir. John Vazon. The augments are using him. For what purpose, I do not know. Nor do I care." He stood, seeming sullen and tired suddenly, "I shall avenge my family."
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Alyana Ryat
Commodore
Registered: Sept 5, 2007 16:34:56 GMT
Posts: 347
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Post by Alyana Ryat on Mar 2, 2016 21:31:46 GMT
In the end Aly decided that subtlety just wasn't going to cut it when it came to sorting out the tension with her XO. When he came to relieve her on the bridge she took the opportunity to try to clear the air.
She had carefully prepared what she wanted to say but she didn't get to use the words since Dan realised exactly what she was started and joined in quickly.
"Don't worry about it." Daniel interrupted, "Not the first time I've been out of the proverbial loop, so to speak. I think I just reacted out of character given I was still toying with returning to Intelligence or staying on as your Exec' ... I would have to say though, that 'if' you couldn't tell me whatever it was, for reasons known only to you, Connolly, or Command, then you should have said as much. If you didn't know anything, so by definition couldn't tell me anyway, then you could again have said as much. As Executive Officer I should know precisely everything you know, so not knowing, raises flags with me OK. Not only because of my Intel' background, it would, should, with any Exec' worthy of his position."
Alyana thought she had said that there was nothing more she could tell him, then again maybe those words meant something different in the intelligence community. If this tension was sheer lay due to a miscommunication she was going to kick hersellf. Still...
"It was a 'they haven't told me any more than I told you situation. Not an I was ordered not to tell you." She sighed slightly. "You know my Command Access Code ... Feel free to look around ........ Though I have the feeling you may have already done so."
It was meant as a peace offering, an indication that she wasn't hiding anything from him. She hoped it would be enough. She needed him to be able to clearly question her and debate with her, she didn't like the tension and silence or the guessing games.
"We should be on final approach in six hours. I'll have you paged thirty minutes before that. Enjoy your rest Commodore." Dan said, turning away and strolling to the center seat before dropping into it.
Alyana nodded slowly and then turned to leave. Six hours was long enough to get a meal, a shower and and a nap. Sounded good.
*******************************************************************************
The Charon disappearing and the Excal needing to be completely rebooted meant that they were extremely delayed. Aly missed her CEO she hoped it was for the last time on this mission but she doubted that would be the case.
She was relieved when the lights on the bridge came back on Aly was relieved, she was starting to get twitchy. She sat down and folded her hands in her lap. She was not going to lean over the engineers shoulder and stare. It wouldn't help anyone.
"So," she looked over to her FO. "ever had to reboot a starship before?"
Tag:
Her voice dropped in volume as the two of them moved over to one side. "I don't know anything about Commander Psonior's transfer beyond what I said to you. However, I can't help feeling he's involved in this somehow."
Tag
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 2, 2016 23:09:32 GMT
It was meant as a peace offering, an indication that she wasn't hiding anything from him. She hoped it would be enough. She needed him to be able to clearly question her and debate with her, she didn't like the tension and silence or the guessing games ...
Six hours later ::
As the Bridge lighting returned to normal, Dan could see the relief and lessening of tension among the crew, he could also see Alyana, sat in the center seat seemingly deep in thought, he was mellowing, if that were the right word to use regarding the distance between them, but ... Did he regret how he had acted towards her and Command, no, he didn't ... Would he react the same if it were to happen again, emphatically, 'NO !' ... The fact was that should he find himself in this position again it wouldn't be 'allowed' to escalate, he's be off the ship at the first opportunity, simple as that.
"So ..... Ever have to 'reboot' a Star Ship before ?" she asked Dan, who somewhat dramatically paused to think:
"Including simulations, and this time of course .... The total number of times is, well .... Once."
"You ordered this without ever having attempted something like what we're doing ever before, even in sim ?" Ryat said, finding a new appreciation for the man, though she wasn't sure if it was more concern for his recklessness than experience."
"In the scheme of things, it seemed the best of a very short list of options open to us, the worse-case being we drift until missed then found." he shrugged, grinning.
"Do we have sub-space communications back yet ?" Ryat asked, disappointed when the Communications Officer said no, "Sensors, weapons, coffee maker ?" she asked. ever helpful, her yeoman approached:
"I can get you a cup of coffee if you need one Captain ?"
"I'm fine Janna. Thank you though." Ryat replied .....
~~~~~
"Captain, I'm getting sensors back." the Navigation Officer informed them, "There is a ship approaching, slowing to match our drift ... It's the USS Gallipoli, Captain James Turton Commanding. Their running lights are operating sporadically, with comm still off-line it could be some sort of code ?"
"Morse." Dan said, moving to the window to view the old-type Constitution Class vessel now slightly ahead of them. He concentrated, trying to remember his coding, "They did a complete re-boot, but with their computer core being less sophisticated they managed to get up and running quicker than we have ... They can't help us. I suggest you send them after the Charon. I doubt they will be able to pick it up, Escude has had this planned for some time, he's not just plucked it off the top of his head, hell, if nothing else it will tell us where 'not' to look I suppose."
Alyana watched their sister ship and made a decision. Moments later, after a 'God Speed' message from the Gallipoli, it jumped to warp and vanished from sight.
~~~~~
"ALL SYSTEMS FULLY RESTORED COMMODORE !"
"What was the last known course of the Charon ?" Ryat asked instantly.
"Their plot had them heading for a small dwarf star System ....." the Navigation Officer said, checking his screens, "..... the Triaud System Ma'am."
"Warp Six ... Now !"
The Excalibur was almost a full day behind the Charon with no information regarding her whereabouts, apart from Triaud. Dan wondered vaguely what they would find on entering the Triaud System, he certainly doubted Escude would be sat waiting for them. Whatever had mad him disobey orders and take his ship and crew on his personal endeavor, no-one could know. But one thing was certain, he would be apprehended, and eventually punished for what could be considered 'Gross Misconduct' unless he could justify his actions to Starfleet Command !
They had been en-route for only an hour when Alyana asked Dan to join her, she motioned for the Officers close-by to give them room. Once both were relatively alone she broached her concern:
"I don't know anything about Commander Psonior's transfer, beyond what I said to you. However, I can't help feeling he is involved in this somehow ....."
"You think this ....." he motioned toward the window to encompass their situation, "Is down to your 'former' Chief Engineer ?"
"I didn't say that." Ryat said, knowing she was touching on an obviously delicate issue that had initially caused the rift between them, but it had to be voiced, "I told you I knew nothing about the transfer, or about what was actually going on behind the scenes, so to speak. But you have to allow the possibility that Psonoir was taken from this ship to carry out a specific task. There are a dozen Chief Engineers as capable as Karka who could have been assigned to the Charon, so maybe it was sheer coincidence, or maybe he had prior knowledge of what was happening, was 'selected' intentionally ?"
"I cannot accept that he would knowingly be part of some, as yet unproven 'PLOT' against the Federation." Dan said looking at her as if she needed medical assistance, his annoyance level rising, too quickly !
"I didn't say he was ......" she replied, realizing she was getting nowhere, "Just keep the option tucked away." with that she walked away, leaving him glaring after her ...
The idea that Karka could be directly involved in whatever 'this' was, was frankly, ludicrous ..... So why wasn't he able to dismiss it ? ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 4, 2016 14:57:25 GMT
"Now in orbit of Triaud II, Captain." The starfield rotated on the viewscreen, the planet off to the right, as the Charon took up final position in its high orbit of the world. They would eventually gain a geosynchronous orbit above the city where most of the suspected augments were gathered - that was, at least, their official places of residence, scans of the surface hadn't revealed the augments from amongst the population, the modified humans being indistinguishable from the native human inhabitants. Talavi's location was the only one known with any certainty - he was currently making a broadcast to the Triaud populace in his capacity as propaganda minister. That was where Escude had ordered Messier's landing parties to head first.
Ten minutes 'til beam down, Karka leant over the rail between the upper and lower deck of the bridge with a conspiratorial eye, drawing Messier's look... Karka had been attempting to persuade the CTSO that his presence with the landing party would be most helpful. So far, the man had shrugged him off and given another of his condescending smiles, addressing Karka as Mr Psonoir to emphasise his seniority. Most helpful, Karka had meant, insofar that he'd - hopefully - be able to derail Escude's plans from the start. Yes, in Escude's view the augments needed only to be overcome, on the way to (presumably) killing John Vazon, the direct descendant of Colonel Green, mass-murderer.
Lirwa sat at the point of the nexus, his consciousness able to engage directly with the nodal marker that would allow his contact with his friend on the Federation vessel.
Around him, the architecture of his residence, its layout and furniture in this the living room seemed quite distant, as all his psychic focus was directed onto the ship before him; through Karka he would be able to learn who among the population he and the Charon were targeting... if he could only see past the third and final partition, work his way through the geography of Karka's complex mind - complex like his own - and know where the Charon intended to strike on Triaud II (the planet on which he was, in a high rise in its metropolis capital that sprawled out to the horizon).
He grunted, smiling in his cross-legged position on the floor, eyes closed in the middle of the room whose walls despite his sightlessness continued to fall away from him; Karka was resisting - he knew he was there.
Not now, Lirwa, not now, he thought as he stepped onto the lower deck, "Commander, before you disembark, with or without me," he addressed Messier who turned clearly quite tiredly, "Will you let it be said that I personally consider the deployment of only a dozen security personnel to tackle the augments, and to find..." he whispered, "Mr Vazon, extremely dangerous? Your team won't be ready for what the augments can employ."
"And you know them, Commander? You've had first-hand experience with them I presume?" he smirked at Escude, who raised a flicker of a smile from his command chair before resuming his vigil of the sable vacuum and the jewel of Triaud II - far off, the orange dwarf of the Triaud star shone dimly.
Well, as a matter of fact... "No," Lirwa finished for him. Shutting out the presence that'd got into his mind once more - though perhaps he'd be better off trying to link up with Lirwa on the surface, wherever and - perhaps - whenever he was... "Not first-hand experience of course, sir. If the augment tissues I've been studying on the way here at the Captain's order are representative of the bodies of the augments on the surface, they'll be possessed of the same strength as the original 'Singhian' augments from the late 20th century."
"Objection noted, Mr Psonoir, there'll be nothing further from you," Messier strode from the bridge, his security following him, "First target is Talavi, then Kurio in the Beta Emstax sector of the conurbation. However we can get to Vazon..."
Karka took his station again, then, beckoning a junior science officer forward, had her take his seat while he asked Escude if he could leave the bridge; further analysis of augment tissue to improve Messier's teams' chances of success, he said something to the effect of.
Escude waved a hand lazily at him, eyes intent on the viewscreen. "Hail the capital city," he ordered - Karka already having left the bridge.
The tactical officer looked around, "They've been hailing us for the last fifteen minutes, sir..." Clearing his throat, "They're responding. Shall I put them on viewscreen?"
Escude nodded and stood, "I'm Captain Juan Escude of the Federation starship Charon. I'm on a mission for the Federation Council to renew ties with the unaligned people of Triaud II. Will you accept me, my staff, and security personnel necessary for both our delegations' protection to beam down to your government's headquarters? We're transmitting our given orders, with signatories of the Federation Council present, down to you now for your verification." The halting affirmative reply of the governmental official who'd answered was cut off, and Escude asked if Rolando was sure on the Federation Council document forgery's seeming legitimacy.
"It checks out. Commander Psonoir gave it a once over as well and he seemed satisfied, though I'm not sure he knew what he was looking at," Rolando replied. Escude nodded and sunk back into his command chair; first stage on that end out of the way... now if only he could trust his science officer... recently assigned of course with his old ship now in hot pursuit... Where would his loyalties ultimately lie? Escude was not optimistic, and if that grim outlook was justified, he would have to take... extreme measures with Mr Karka Psonoir.
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 7, 2016 7:24:07 GMT
After leaving the bridge Karka had headed for the transporter room, locked out the room, dismissing the enlisted there with ease and was inputting coordinates that Lirwa had sent him - his location, somewhere in the middle of the city with the augments (good news), and conveniently from about an hour in the past; no way through the nodal marker, feeding along lines of contorted spacetime to Lirwa's nexus, he would have to go through the transporter though of course with a few additions to the beam-out protocol known only to a select few and not from the 23rd century... The spacetime coordinates entered he stepped onto the pad and was caught in the golden-bronze haze. Finding himself in an infinitely reflecting mirror of green shade and darkness - like underwater in tropics - Karka edged his way into the open spaces of the building. He was in an apartment, that he saw now, and spears of starlight shot through the windows now to his left and made him realise he was in a lofty high-rise... If the coords had been correct, he would still be out there on the Charon, closing in on Triaud II, yet he was also here, an hour in the past... Turning to his right - red and blue velvet curtains and sheets hanging like vast cloaks all round him - he eventually emerged into what seemed to be a living room, and sitting in its centre cross-legged was Lirwa, his fellow Hybrudean and long-time friend. "Karka... come forward..." his eyes were closed. "Meditating again?" He reached the middle of the room and turned to look where Lirwa was looking, and he realised... this was when he'd tried that first time to break into his mind, lower the partitions and try to see through his own eyes on the Charon bridge. "It doesn't matter, I'm here now," he shook Lirwa from his psychic focus. Lirwa lifted himself up and sat on the couch. "Your friends are soon to reach the first of Singh's buddies - well, in an hour - and we should make haste to be there before them." Karka nodded, the two Hybrudeans now walking into the kitchen, "The Federation would like to recapture Singhian augments, Lirwa. If we can find a way of incarcerating them on the Charon rather than killing whoever of them gets in the way, it might put Captain Escude in better stead at his court-martial." "Maybe. Then what of this other fellow? Vazon, by name, or so you think, hmm?" Lirwa pottered about with various kitchen implements. "Triaud coffee?" Karka shook his head. "It would interest you to know, probably," Lirwa, pouring, "That Vazon's changed his name to John Phillip Green. It seems Baratz Talavi, who you so ingeniously divined was an augment, wants to use this Green in some way - his name, if nothing else - as a figurehead for some invasion of, or other aggressive move against the Federation." Karka turned about in the kitchen space, "Escude knows this. He's here to destroy Green. Ah, I can see you knew that... He's aware that Green is being used by the augments." "Then maybe your Captain will take pity on the poor man and rid himself of the augments instead. Not that any of his precious species should die..."
"You don't know what you're dealing with." He'd said that three times already; it'd been about the only thing he'd said since they'd broken entry and held the man (augment) hostage in his own residence. Au contraire, mon ami - you're the accomplice of a genocidaire from the bloodiest war in your species' history, and today you're going to help us prevent one crime in order to prevent a worse one. Five minutes, five minutes until Karka caught up with his contemporaries - if he'd convinced Messier to let him join the landing party he would be seeing and, unfortunately, dispatching himself, how he would enjoy singing a hole through his other's chest, it would fix the quantum indeterminacy problems of two of the same incidences existing in the same spacetime. Lirwa had Baratz Talavi backed against a wall, a phaser levelled at him from four metres away, just outside an augment's reach - if he were to leap and grasp for the weapon, all in one action, reflex. Talavi's threats seemed increasingly insubstantial, as Karka glanced again at the door just to his left; Messier's team would soon be upon them, and the augments would soon be upon him, if this all went wrong. "They won't attack without your order," Lirwa asked for confirmation. Talavi spat insults before eventually nodding and slipping down to the floor in resignation almost. Lirwa said, "And they'll know that if you do order the attack, or if they choose to act of their own accord, I'll shoot you dead." Talavi snarled. "Ensign Lopez?" Karka called from inside, masking his voice sufficiently he thought. There was sudden silence, shuffling from outside and barely heard whispers, then Karka opened the door a fraction, pausing it with just enough space to fit the plasma flashbang grenade through the gap - disguised in its bag, it detonated before any of the blundering security team could disable it. He retracted the rest of the door, searched the corridor with his eyes either side then reached down to Messier's communicator, lying in his slack hand already open - as if he'd suspected foul play. Masking his voice after Commander Messier now, "Charon, this is Commander Messier. Twelve to beam up, repeat twelve to beam up... We've been ambushed! The augments!" Karka stepped back into Talavi's home, just seeing the twelve unconscious forms of CTSO Messier and his team dematerialise back to the Charon. He approached the prone augment, supposed minister of propaganda of Triaud II, "Now Baratz... Where is Colonel Green's descendant... John Vazon. Escude won't give up. If he can't kill you he'll try alternative routes to get to Vazon, he's hell-bent on it as the Earth expression goes." Talavi's brow furrowed, his eyes asking Karka if he wasn't human. "We can only save him if you tell us. We can't dodge Escude and Messier's teams for long." "Your saving him, will get me killed!" Talavi growled, shaking against the wall, his governmental uniform not befitting of a man of his ill-repute and questionable status in the Federation. "You'll take him to a place where neither Escude nor us can hurt him." He looked right at Karka, "You rob a man of his revenge, and another of his destiny, alien?" Karka blinked. <Tag Both> - sorry for double post, I had to get that part of things moving a bit more, hopefully it makes sense, do PM if any clarification needed
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 10, 2016 22:36:01 GMT
With the Excalibur still almost a day behind the Charon, Dan's continuing issues were playing heavily on his mind .....
Of course he fully understood, and in a sense agreed, with Commodore Rose regarding her assessment of the situation, and the possibility that Psonoir may be involved, even if involuntarily. No-one was saying she was wrong, least of all him, regardless of his opposite view. both of them were obviously frustrated with the lack of information regarding the Engineers' sudden transfer, but they simply had to live with it he decided.
As Alyana had gone to rest, he was sat in the center seat when the Navigation Officer turned to face him:
"Sir ... I'm picking up a stationary object ahead of us." she said, a hint of confusion in her tone making Dan lean forward, "Extreme range, but I would say it's definitely a ship of some kind."
"Stationary ?" he asked getting out of the seat, "The Charon maybe ? ..... Are you getting any readings from it ?"
"No Sir, no transponder signal. I'm picking up power signatures but nothing weapons related Sir, but at this distance it is hard to confirm. They certainly have power and are directly in our path. At our current speed we will come up to them in two hours seventeen minutes."
"Narrow the scan beam. Get what you can ... Slow us to warp four." Dan ordered ....... Thus far, all attempts to contact the USS Charon had failed .......
Five hours later ::
"Drop out of warp. Raise shields and energize all weapons systems .... Full stop !" Dan ordered as Alyana took her seat, "Open a Comm to that vessel." he said, nodding to Ryat.
=^= Unidentified vessel .. I am commodore Ryat .. Commanding Officer .. USS Excalibur .. Who am I addres .. .. .. =^=
=^= You are about to enter the Triaud System .. We cannot allow this =^=
=^= This is a Federation Star Ship .. Explain your reasons for attempting to prevent our passage into the System .. Do it now or we will go around you ! =^=
Dan looked at Ryat. He wondered vaguely how far she would be willing to go to pursue the Charon, would she wait for other vessels to join them or use the full weight of her position, and that of the Excalibur, to get what they wanted ? ... He could see the Commander of the vessel opposite them speaking with someone off-screen. He was obviously annoyed at what was being said to him and he threw a glaring glance at the screen every few seconds. finally, apparently having won his internal dispute, he turned to the screen once more:
=^= Lock onto their Engineering Section .. Fire on my Command .. .. .. Excalibur .. You will come about and depart this region immediately .. Failure to comply would be .. .. Unwise ! =^=
"She out-guns us Commander." the Tactical Officer whispered to Schirra. Dan made an almost imperceptible nod to Alyana hoping she understood his unspoken opinion on what to do next.
=^= We are searching for a vessel belonging to the United Federation of Planets .. We have confirmed that the vessel in question passed into 'your' System approximately twenty two hours ago .. As we have received no emergency distress becon I can only assume that the ship is still intact .. .. .. As such .. This vessel is currently assisting in a 'Search and Rescue' and Maritime Law clearly states that you must assist .. .. So .. .. Unless you have information regarding our vessel I strongly 'suggest' you move aside and allow us to proceed .. Failure on your part will only incur the displeasure of the Federation who I assure you will come in force to find their ship ! =^=
After a few tense moments, the unidentified Captain made a decision, or more likely, had it made for him:
=^= You will drop behind us and will be accompanied into the System .. Your maximum velocity will at 'NO TIME' exceed your Full Impulse ! .. .. Any deviation of course or speedwill result in our immediate preventative action =^= the Comm snapped off, leaving Alyana and Dan looking at each other.
"They are coming about." the Navigation Officer informed them.
"Drop in behind them. One hundred kilometers. Match speed." the Commanding Officer ordered, obviously frustrated, as was Daniel himself ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 12, 2016 22:32:08 GMT
Talavi had escaped. Karka walked into the room in which he'd been held, surveying the emptied drawers and the desk with its real papers strewn over it, componentry of padd type devices exposed and gouged such had been the extent of the augment's fit of rage. The window was part way open, air blown into the room, a cabinet door creaking on its hinges - Talavi hadn't escaped out the window of course, it was a 2km drop to the streets of the city centre. Instead he'd somehow broken out of the room and made all of the guards disappear en route to the exit.
Lirwa, in another part of the building, watched the skies of grey and grainy gold, about to rain - both Hybrudeans were expecting something to deorbit over the city very shortly, that being one of the sentry vessels in low orbit of the planet now burning up in its atmosphere, its engines having been destroyed by the escaping vessel manned by augments. Now that vessel would be well out of the system, in the direction of the advancing Federation vessel/s.
Karka returned to the living room, making contact again with the highest authority in the planetary government he could, predictably not that of the President McNulty. "No, they have not made contact. I repeat, councillor, Minister Talavi is no longer present... he escaped our custody..." He waited for the reply. "No, your soldiers are still missing. You had me hold the minister here until your soldiers arrived, I followed those instructions. There is nothing else I can do. Now I suggest you continue the search for my ship, and I'll continue the search for your soldiers, afterwhich I will be joining you. I suspect your soldiers have been taken by Baratz Talavi and the augments."
"Lieutenant Commander. Minister Talavi is no longer one of us; he is an augment, and you're... implying, that he's no longer on our planet? That, in fact, he might be on the ship that's just returned to the system?"
Karka blinked, "The augments' ship has returned?"
The Triaud II councillor nodded, "Yes, with another Federation vessel that doubtless they've spun some story to as regards their legitimacy. The USS Excalibur. Our vessel better be recovered," he said, distantly, "How... Axar Kurio? you said his name was? managed to commandeer it in the presence of a third of the Triaud Star Navy I'll never understand."
Karka stared straight ahead: the Excalibur... they'd caught up and arrived at about the time the Charon crew had predicted, but in unfortunate company. He hoped Dan and the Commodore could discover the nature of the people who'd been escorting them into the system soon. "Contact the Excalibur," he said to the official, "Warn them of what's going on."
The official shook his head, "Kurio made contact with us. He's jamming all our outgoing communiques... There's no way we can get a message out."
Karka acknowledged and closed the comm. He had other ideas regarding how contact might be made with his old ship - taking out his communicator, he raised it to his lips and...
The room swam about him, spiralling, whitening the shrieking optimal audial announcement of a flashbang having been detonated; he swung into the couch, hitting his head against the wooden armrest - his consciousness was jarred, in audial, olfactory, sight senses - simultaneously hearing the metallic clinking along the floor of another device - that sounds like a photon grenade - oh... what's his name? Christ! He covered his ears - no time for rapid consciousness acceleration - and got into the foetal position. The room vibrated, as if to the resonant frequency of some awesome chord - and the whole world, his visual frame at least seemed to shake itself loose of the spacetime continuum. He blacked out for an instant - came to to see augments storming the room. "Evidently you forgot something..." Karka laughed deliriously at them.
Lirwa - who'd been dawdling along a corridor not far from the living room - had vanished; Karka could no longer sense the temporal being's presence in the building. How were the augments managing this? A figure coalesced above him, a face and streaked silver hair - resolving now in his formerly blurry vision, a young lady, and an augment; he recognised her from the LCARS database on the Charon: Mara Higginson, one of the Charon's targets (in their eventual disastrous attempt to assault the augments and kill Green) before it'd by all reports hightailed it out of the system as soon as it'd heard of the Excalibur's approach.
<Tag Alyana, Dan>
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 17, 2016 23:57:57 GMT
They had been following the unknown vessel, which had steadfastly refused to answer any further Communication from the Excalibur, save to inform them that they were being taken into orbit around Triaud One, their Primary ...
Frustration wasn't something Daniel experienced a lot, but when he did it usually forced him to think before acting, this was one of those occasions ... As the Excalibur, accompanied by the still unknown vessel, approached Triaud, they scanned everything in orbit, 'might as well' Dan had commented, given no-one had expressly forbid them to do so. The planet was advanced, more than the Federation had believed apparently. From initial scans, there were approximately seventy vessel, of various designs and sizes, currently in orbit. Dan assumed that a large percentage would be normal trade vessels, commerce was vital in such systems, where one planet could be the sole provider of elements required by the other inhabited planets in the system, likewise, that planet may rely on commodities from yet another in the system, so mutual trade was essential ...
Alas, there was no signs of the Charon, or evidence that it too had been forced into orbit around the planet below. He was about to ask what their next step would be when the Comm crackled to life:
=^= Federation Vessel .. .. .. You will remain in orbit until contacted .. We are at present attempting to verify your claim that you were pursuing another Federation vessel into our System .. Should your reasons prove truthful we shall of course consider assisting you in your search .. Likewise .. If we can find no evidence of this 'second' vessel you will be held here .. Be aware Excalibur .. 'ANY' attempt to leave orbit will result in your vessel being targeted by our orbital defense systems which have no doubt 'WILL' destroy your ship before it can depart =^= the comm snapped off leaving all on the Bridge silent.
"Contact Starfleet Command and relay to Admiral Connoly !" Ryat ordered instantly, "Send all logs up to and including this conversation. Request they divert the task force into this System to assist."
"They're hiding something." Dan commented.
"Commodore. Two orbital platforms have scanned us and are moving their orbital path to match our own." the Tactical Officer T'Sana informed them.
"Are they locking weapons ?" Ryat asked.
"No .... They scanned us, then adjusted their orbit to fall ahead and astern of us, they have now reduced power and are almost dormant." T'Sana confirmed, a confused expression on her face.
"It is obvious that the Charon isn't here. They know that, and they obviously know that 'WE' know that now too, so why the hell hold us here, unless ....." Dan commented.
"Unless .... Unless what, Commander ?" Ryat prompted.
"We know, or at least have some idea as to why Escude split from the task-force and headed here, so is it possible that he was in contact with the authorities here prior to his departure ? .... We can't discount the possibility that the Triaud are aiding, or at least, turning a blind eye to what Escude is up to, so how can we trust they will tell us anything useful at all, hell, for all we know it was set up to confine the first vessel that came in pursuit, allowing the Charon time to move to one of the other planets, or conceal herself behind one of the myriad of moons in the system until we eventually 'give up' the search and right her off ...... and yes, before yo say it, we wouldn't give up, but would we risk conflict with the Triaud System to get what we came for ?"
"The Triaud are not members of the Federation per se, but they are up for consideration at the next nomination summit due to be held eight months from now." T'Sena informed them, "So while they are keen to play the 'keep ourselves to ourselves' card. Maybe they wouldn't want to jeopardize their application by holding us indefinitely ?"
"You suggest calling their bluff Petty Officer ?" Dan asked, liking this woman more by the second.
"Well, no, not initially, but what if we were to, I don't know, expand our search while remaining in the open, so to speak ?" the young woman wondered if she had said too much and was now looking at a transfer to conduit scrubbing for opening her mouth, but she could see that Commander Schirra was eyeing her, obviously weighing up what she had said, "There have to be records .... We know how quickly we were detected 'and' escorted here, so isn't it possible that somewhere, in their Security Archive maybe, there's a record of the Charon, and where she is now ?"
She could see the Commodore and the Intelligence Officer looking at each other, before both turned to face her:
"..... Out of curiosity, how would 'you' go about acquiring that information ?" the Commodore asked casually.
"Ma'am ?" T'Sena replied, mortified they had listened to a lowly Petty Officers' comments in the first place.
The information you are 'speculating' is there somewhere, could be one one of the Vessels that protect this System, or most certainly in their Facility on the surface of the planet below ....." Dan said by means of giving her something to work with, "So if you had the option of one or the other, where would you go first ?" he asked, far too casually for her liking as everyone on the Bridge now turned their attention to the Acting Tactical Officer ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 21, 2016 15:39:27 GMT
The augment vessel had not stayed for long, according to the fourth adjutant to President McNulty's administration. Lirwa had managed to escape the clutches of the augments that'd beamed him away - an isolinear tag; in the 24th century they were common, commonly used by species such as the Son'a, but not so widespread in the 23rd, though one had been attached to Lirwa and he'd been transported to a place on the north-east outskirts of the capital city, in the sub-layers beneath the acknowledged ground level where the vehicles travelled.
Here was the augments' lair, a young woman, quite pale, by the name of Higginson commanded them, and Lirwa had - not to his surprise - caught a sight of John P. Green (nee Vazon); why, he looked just like his ancestor the genocide perpetrating Colonel. Lirwa had met Colonel Green once, at a peace conference when Green's forces struck just as the deal had been... well, struck. It had to be the shortest-lived peace treaty in Earth's history.
What might the augments have bribed the planetary government with to protect Vazon/Green (to the government a complete unknown)? Vazon was well guarded by the augments that'd remained on the planet; the others were, as he understood it, on the ship that'd met the USS Excalibur and taken it towards Triaud Prime, led by Axar Kurio; Talavi, augment leader and former propaganda minister of the planetary government, was still missing. But here also were all of the governmental soldiers that'd been beamed away - in the same manner as Lirwa via the isolinear tags - squared away in veritable cages, no chance for escape. Well, Lirwa had escaped now. He traipsed across the plains of the north-eastern quarter, just outside the official city limits, watching the sky again and the distant point sources that were the orbital defence platforms - to his surprise, he saw they were moving.
Karka had met Charon CMO Townes on the outskirts of the capital; they'd boarded a repulsor vehicle, standing with her on the back of the machine in the fading light. Karka had found his way out of the augments' stronghold (where he'd been taken after being rendered unconscious by the low-yield photon grenade, had met the augment Mara Higginson), via drainworks that burrowed deep underground. Exiting the place, he'd made his way onto the main road then found his communicator beeping; Townes had been set loose on the city, and he'd met her here at the outskirts.
"Higginson... She had some interesting information to give me... Apparently the augments have made a deal with the planetary government. Their and John Vazon's protection from Escude, in return for their protection of McNulty's government. That ship the augments 'commandeered' and have used to lead along the Excalibur?" Karka leaned forward significantly, "Well, they didn't commandeer it. It was loaned to them by McNulty."
Townes' eyes widened, "Did Higginson say where Captain Escude was, the Charon?"
"No. She doesn't know. And before you ask I can't see why she'd lie... They're desperately looking for the Charon to avoid their own destruction." Karka looked up, seeing the Triaud Star Navy in addition to defence platforms streaming across the sky, doubling back, manoeuvring, heading to high orbit. He directed her sight to the same place, "Well, that confirms it. They're preparing for the attack of the task force - Connolly's task force, if it comes to that. Now the Excalibur's effectively been kidnapped by the augment ship, Commodore Ryat and Commander Schirra would've sent a message back to Connolly."
If he could learn where Escude's inner circle had held their meeting with President McNulty's administration, they might learn where Escude had gone. And, Karka thought, unless there'd recently been a severe schism in that administration (Talavi's sudden departure notwithstanding), the augments must've made their alliance with McNulty after Escude and company had left, else McNulty would've arrested Escude on the spot on behalf of the augments.
They reached the city centre, disembarking and slinging coats over their shoulders - they'd disposed of their uniforms, instead wore Triaud civilian clothing - for it was no longer safe to be an officer of Starfleet here. They entered the administration's building. He'd landed himself in a difficult situation: should he support his ship, his captain, who he did empathise, sympathise with even, over his losses? Or should he discard Escude as a rogue, and band together with the task force? And for that matter, where did Dr Townes lie?
There was a potential three-way conflict developing: Excalibur and Connolly's task force vs Captain Escude vs the Triaud people and the augments...
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 23, 2016 17:01:09 GMT
OOC: Sincere apologies for double posting. I felt I hadn't given people enough to work with in the last post.
Psonoir and Charon CMO Townes made their way up to the levels above the landing pad where Escude's shuttle had set down - by all reports - and had made contact with McNulty's diplomats. The information on the Charon landing party's arrival and departure times must be stored in the databanks; they had only to access it and, taking Escude's time of departure, might extrapolate the Charon's most likely whereabouts based upon how fast they were likely to have departed Triaud II, and therefore whether they still remained in the system, were in interstellar space, or if they were in a different star system altogether.
Karka started his inputs to the console, below a window that overlooked the platform where Escude's shuttle had been, "I think he might still be in the system." Townes looked across. "The departure time given here would've given him nowhere near enough time to make it beyond the confines of the system - if they travelled at say full impulse - and no warp was detected by in-system monitoring stations in the last thirty hours except for the Excalibur's warping-in - they would've only made it as far as... well, conceivably behind the star."
Indeed, they could be keeping their velocity to such that they were perennially obscured from observation by craft further out in the system, matching their rotation of the star to be an average between the rotation periods of the worlds of both Triaud Prime and II. "Close enough to the corona they could mask their energy signature from all but the closest and most intensive scans, even if those scans came from the same side of the star as them. Would the Captain go to such lengths?" he asked the Charon CMO, "To even go into the corona?"
"Conceivably," she said hesitatedly, "This is his vendetta... I shouldn't be telling you this... I'm part of his inner circle, as you call it... In fact I haven't told you how I ended up stuck on the planet."
"You weren't part of the landing party to meet McNulty?" he asked slightly incredulous.
"Oh no, I was captured by the augments during one of our raids. We were ambushed everywhere... They knew we were coming."
"I know. Your - ... Our Captain was led into a trap; present him with a figure of hate for him and his family, what does he do? He pursues him immediately, regardless of the court-martial offence that the act constitutes, and that's exactly what the augments were counting on."
Karka had organised to send a message to the Excalibur; he accessed communications - Townes guarding the entrance to this the landing signals officer's compartment - and broadcasted the encrypted message to the USS Excalibur, now almost at Triaud Prime. The comm signal was native Triaud but contained an unmistakeable encoded Federation carrier signature, as well as Karka's service ID that would let the receiver know who was calling...
"Commodore Ryat, Commander Schirra, this is Karka Psonoir. I am on the surface of Triaud II. Singhian augments have allied themselves with the planetary government, sirs. Captain Escude was here to kill someone they're protecting, the descendant of Colonel Phillip Green..." he paused, "It's a family feud. Green wiped out Escude's ancestors. Now Escude's landing parties have been ambushed... I was on the ship, though, I made my way to the surface," well that was one way of putting it, he thought wincing, "I've reached the capital and, sirs, I have found evidence - perhaps not conclusive - that the Charon is now in hiding behind the Triaud star."
<Tag Excalibur>
Now if only he knew what the augments and Green (nee Vazon) had planned for beyond this star system... If it took the Excalibur, the Massachusetts, or even indeed the Charon to find out and stop them, then so be it.
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