ACTC Mission 6.1 – The Sleeping Dragon

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

Finally he had arrived. Starbase Conqueror was bustling with activity just as much as the last time he was here. Of course it was S47’s starbase for all training activities. That was why he was here, a training run onboard the USS-Hope.

The Academy had already sent him his orders on taking charge of the Hope, and he had the mission briefing outline all tucked away on his PADD. The mission itself was real, but it was the taking command part that was Zhukarak’s training.

Finally reaching the docking ring that led to the main entrance to the Hope, Zhuk Handed over his PADD with his orders displayed to a security officer. The young lieutenant looked over the PADD and then used it to access Hope’s central computer for confirmation. The PADD bleeped once before the lieutenant handed the PADD over.

“Your orders have been confirmed, Colonel Hrisvalar. Welcome aboard the USS Hope!”

“Thank you, Lieutenant.”

Zhuk took the PADD back and made his way through the docking port into the belly of the USS Hope. Finding his way through the many hallways of this Nebula class ship, he remembered his final training phase aboard her as a young marine cadet. There were quite a few around and a few came straight to attention when they saw a new marine Colonel aboard. A couple of turbolifts later, Zhukarak found himself on the bridge.

It had then come to him that this Nebula ship had a Galaxy class bridge refit. He never knew it as a cadet at the time, as those things hadn’t interested him before. Now, however, he was on his way of becoming a commanding officer of a Starfleet vessel someday. He had learned of the various types of ships out there and was wondering what his first might be.

The bridge officers all looked into his direction. Unlike the marine cadets, these were all naval officers in their various department colors. At first they seemed quite surprised to see a marine colonel onboard the bridge, until the Andorian CTSO stepped forward.

“You must be Colonel Hrisvalar. We have been awaiting your arrival. I am Lieutenant Commander Zaksh’ris’zhen, Chief of Tactical and Security.”

“Thank you. Then you are aware that I will be the Commanding Officer for the first part of the mission. Please, follow me. Commander, Lieutenant, please, your presence is requested as well.”

The Klingon Lieutenant who seemed to be the Chief navigations Officer, and the Commander who was manning the Ops console followed suit. It was just the four of them as there were no other senior staff present.

“Please, have a seat. The other department chiefs can receive their briefings via the LCARS. We have a sense of urgency and will be on our way as soon as the First Officer arrives. I see everyone has brought a PADD. Good! Computer, transfer mission 6.1 from my PADD to the LCARS system and department head PADDs only. Hrisvalar Eta-Alpha-9.”

=/\=
Working…confirming command code for transfer…command code accepted…transfer complete.
=/\=

Zhukarak proceeded to the main viewscreen display and started his briefing.

“We are to investigate this Nebula that you see here. It has entered S47 space here, in sector Gamma-19, coming from Dominion space. Long range sensors have not been able to penetrate it for any precise readings. We are being sent in for better scans and to ensure that no unknown vessels are using the Nebula to mask themselves. That’s all I have. Any questions?”

The officers each looked over their respective PADDs to glean in all of the pertinent information before asking any questions.

[Deleted]

Kuragh sat impassivly throughout the mission briefing eyeing the Andorian with some measure of skepticism.

"Any other information" he asked gruffly at the conclusion of Zhukaraks briefing

"Not at the moment" Zhukarak replied "We're going to get that information"

Kuragh grunted and bared his teeth, anything involving the Dominion could mean a fight, and if there was one thing Kuragh liked as much as flying it was fighting.

"It must be a weapon." he stated, "Or perhaps some cowardly way of hiding an invasion force."

"We shall see" Merit noted coolly.

"I will set course right away. Maximimum warp" Kuragh anounced getting to his feet,

"Warp 6 will do fine" Zhukarak suggested,

"Aye Aye Captain" Kuragh grunted as he left the room.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

No one else had any questions to add about this mysterious nebula. Lt Kuragh was quite anxious to get going. It was obvious that he had the scent of blood in the air...so to speak.

~Aye, aye, Captain!~ Zhukarak thought about those words. He never really cared to be looking forward to the title, but now that he heard it...he was starting to like it. He had come a long way from his service with the Andorian Imperial Guard to here. He never thought that he might some day captain a starship.

"That's all I have then. Dismissed. As soon as the First Officer comes aboard we shall be on our way."

Everyone rose from their chairs to get back to their stations. At that time a very young looking Commander First Class entered the Ready Room.

"Hi! Sorry I'm late. I had some last minute details to take care of. You know, official business. Anyways, Commander McCormick reporting as First Officer."

Zhuk looked at the young human female. He thought he had seen many things, but a Commander First Class this young was the first. Then the name struck a memory nerve in the back of his cerebral cortex. He could almost feel the electricity flow from one memory nerve center to another.

"Welcome. I'm Colonel Hrisvalar. Currently in command here. I'm looking forward to be working with you on our combined training mission. Now McCormick you say. That name is familiar. Hm...not the same Admiral McCormick who is the Section 47 Academy Commandant?" Zhukarak was wondering as he finally remembered the name.

"Yes, the one and the same. It is my adopted name, but I assure you that I don't get and I don't require any special treatment because of it."

"Commander, I am a marine first and foremost. No one gets special treatment from me. Now, we are to investigate a nebula. Here are the particulars." Zhuk handed over a PADD to the young commander.

"Any questions or thoughts?"

[Deleted]

Joanne took her place at Ops, Kuragh was already plotting courses and asking her for sensor information.

"Hold on" She admonished, "We arent even out of dock yet"
"So you have no information yet"
"I m working on it. I m just going too go down to the library and do some research on Nebulas. It might come in useful"
"Bah" Kuragh growled, "We need pahesrs not books"
Joanne smiled politley knowing hiow Kuagh could be.
"She nodded to teh CO and FO"
Excuse me I m a just going to preapre the mission ops.
"Of course Commander" Zhukarak replied.
Joanne nodded and left the bridge.

[Deleted]

Kuragh grinned toothily at Joanne as she left. She was so uptight and so slow.
He finished plotting his 4th course correction to his 6th route possible to the nebula and enetered each one into the computer.
In the background teh new FO was deep in conversation with the new CO. He had never served under an Andorian before. He had obviously worked with Shris for sometime now but that was different - Shris was not your average paranoid blue skin - he wondered if Zhukarak was.

Having got tired of waiting for more information he got and crossed to the now vacant ops station. He ran a quick sensor scan about them but even with long raneg sensors the nebula was still light years away. Getting an idea he rose and quickly went to Engineering. He worked quickly to re route all non essential power to the science suite. With the extra power he diverted it in to the sensor grid facing away from the station. Reassured that he had made the correct connections - he had of course.
Happy he returned to the bridge and began the sensor scan. He couldnt interpret all the data as it came in but the nebula looked pretty interesting. He would download this to a PADD and read it through that evening, perhaps he could detct hiden vessels waiting to pounce.

[Deleted]

Shris walked onto the bridge seeing the the Andorian and mumbled something under his breath. Also he say Commander McCormick, she had served on missions before he knew to give her respect.

Walking over to his station he checked the mission statement and started to ready defensive weapons, load the torpedo bays, and ready tactical sensors. The sensor link to the navigation sensors were down ... and had been locked out. He slapped the console and looked across the bridge to see Kuragh sitting at the OPS station. "Kuragh," he said with forceful demeaning tone, "what are you doing at OPS? Joanne keeps her station set how she likes it ... you know that! And why can't my tactical station access the navigational sensors!? You will need tactical information if we run into any aggressive threats!" He had worked with Kuragh many times before. Kuragh's 'know-it-all' attitude made Shris very upset.

Kuragh's countenance became red with furry. He stood and stomped up the ramp to meet Shris face-to-face. "What do you know about tactical you DenIb Qatlh" Bodily actions had not erupted as of yet, however it was soon coming. Shris planted his feet firmly on the ground and blew up his chest to almost twice its size. "I'm no slim devil ... and I know more about the station than you ever would know about navigation!" The air on the bridge almost seemed stale with the rage that was coming from the two ... and all on the bridge noticed the conflict. Shris added, "you need to stand down Lieutenant ... I hold rank over you!" Tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife ... something was about to happen ... ... ... ...

[anderson]

She arrives late to the ship, and sighs knowing this isn't the best way to start a training mission, especially her own. Something about that thought triggers another memory, and she suddenly remembers the details of her training mission like it just happened. She puts her bag carefully on her bed in her new quarters, and straightens her uniform. She wants to look her best on her first day, and then she heads up to the bridge.

What have I gotten myself into? I wish I had brought Leena, but maybe it was best she didn't come. She is full of mischief, and I can do this without her. What am I a baby who is now nothing but homesick? I can do this, and all on my own. She thinks during the silent turbolift ride giving herself a pep talk. She tries to get rid of the feelings of being thrown into the deep end, and she realizes as the turbolift doors open that it is sink or swim time. She also realizes she needs to come up with a better metaphor for this.

As she steps onto the bridge, she sees none of the senior staff, and realizes they might be in a briefing in the ready room. She gets this confirmed before heading straight for the meeting. Before she enters, she gulps and then enters.

[glow=blue,2,300]"Hi! Sorry I'm late. I had some last minute details to take care of. You know, official business. Anyways, Commander McCormick reporting as First Officer."[/glow] She says realizing only after she said it that she sounds like a kid at the beginning, and she didn't want to come across like just some kid in a grown ups uniform and world. She was different, and she wondered just how different she really was from those her age. After a little more talk she gets the specs of the mission.

[glow=blue,2,300]"Any questions or thoughts?"[/glow]

"Yes, actually, do we know what has been tried to get readings in the past? We don't want to go in there and repeat what has been done, so if we don't know, then we should find out." She says charging ahead before getting an answer.

With that done, and no other thoughts or questions, everyone resumes their duties. Joan heads for the bridge again, and she notices the first officers chair. She had seen Commander Hope sit in hers, but she never did get to ask the woman if it was a comfortable chair, and she wonders if it would have been wise to do so. She hesitates to sit down in the chair and decides standing would do best for now. She looks around the room to see what is happening, and finds nothing out of the usual. She notices someone nod to her, and she takes out one of her padds. She hadn't had time to study out who the crew were yet, and she noticed that it was the ops officer. She approached the captain, but since they weren't near her she didn't hear a word of it. She notices when Commander Merit leaves the bridge.

Joan is shortly joined by her new commanding officer. "Its good to meet you, I look forward to working with you this mission." She says trying to be friendly.

She goes to reply to him when she notices some trouble near ops. "Excuse me, sir, I will be right back." She says hoping he doesn't mind. She walks over that way checking one of her padds.

"Kuragh, I thought you were our helmsman, and this isn't the helm. If you need directions to your station, all you have to do is ask, I am sure your fellow crewmates wouldn't mind helping you out with this in the future. Is there something I can do for you?" She says turning her attention to the other person standing there. She wanted to check to see who this was, but decided it was best not to at this time.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

Cmndr1C McCormick was right about finding out what kind of scans had been tried before. Since she made it more of a comment than a question, it appeared to Zhukarak that she was going to contact the S47 Ops to find out. She was taking initiative, Zhuk noted. this was good. There was apparently a very good reason why she was at this point of her career at such a young age.

Zhuk followed the young commander out of the Ready Room. She took position infront of the First Officers chair deciding to stand instead of sitting. Zhuk joined her there.

[glow=blue,2,300]"Its good to meet you, I look forward to working with you this mission."[/glow]

Before Zhuk could properly respond, the entire bridge was being interupted by their Klingon Helmsman and the Andorian Tactical officer. The tension between the two was as thick as the ice of a frozen Andorian lake in the dead of winter. Of course it was always winter on Andoria.

Zhukarak wanted to respond but once more the young First Officer took the initiative. She had placed herself between the two. Zhuk couldn't believe his ears, but she showed no fear as she was belittleing Lt Kuragh, and then indicated to LtCmndr Zaksh'ris'zhen if he had nothing better to do.

Zhuk didn't want to give them the chance to respond unfavoribly. They wouldn't like it if he was forced to intervene. Instead, he gave his orders.

"Lieutenant Kuragh, take us out and plot a direct course to the Nebula. All other stations, report please!"

[Deleted]

Kuragh surpressed his growing bloodlust. Shris could be such a p'tahk. If it werent for the senior staff he would have shown him a few tactical moves.
Growling a low deep growl he moved from the Ops seat, he had finished anyways.
"I know my way to Conn" he grumbled,
The Captain had turned to him now and ordered them to depart.
Kuragh resumed his corect seat and ran through the pre flight checks.
Deflectors
Impulse
Warp Engines
Sensors
The list went on and with great speed and skill Kuragh was soon easing the Hope out of the space dock of Starbase Conqueror. He had been top of his flight class at the acdemy and had his skills had only improved with time. He twisted the Hope in mid flight whilst still emerging from the dock. The walls loomed perilously close. He grinned as he watched Shris's face.
The Hope of course missed by inches and then entered open space.
He sat uncomfortably as they waited to clear the impulse zone and take to warp.
They passed a few other ships entering and leaving the area, none were following the flight paths correctly and where obviously ploited by dolts.

Once clear of teh station kuragh turned in his chair.
"Going to Warp" He announced and tapped a key. The Hope roared to life and she leapt forward.
He piloted the Hope along a course perpendicular to the direct course at a moderate warp 6 as ordered, though he coouldnt understand why warp 9 wasnt being used, this could be an invasion.
Checking the sensors he had amplified at Joannes ops console he grinned at what he saw.
"Sir I am detecting a sub space corridor. If you give me five minutes to reconfigure the deflector dish and reconfigure theintermix ratio in engineering we could be at the nebula in 3.4 minutes?"

[Deleted]

Joanne sat in the library and looked at the books on Nebulas.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

[glow=blue,2,300]"Sir I am detecting a sub space corridor. If you give me five minutes to reconfigure the deflector dish and reconfigure theintermix ratio in engineering we could be at the nebula in 3.4 minutes?"[/glow]

"That won't be necessary, Lieutenant Kuragh. We need to be able to use our sensors at distance and monitor the readings as we get closer. We can't do that while we are within a vortex. How long will it take us at Warp 7, Lieutenant?"

<Kuragh>

"Good. Make it so. Remember, we are investigating a nebula. We're not LOOKING for a fight, but let's be on guard." Kuragh was visibly disturbed at the decision, but he proceeded with his given task.

Commander Merit returned to the bridge and settled herself back at the Ops station. Zhuk was curious if she had gained any other insights about the nebula.

"Commander Merit, were you able to discern anything about nebulas that might help us with the investigation of this particular one?"

<Joanne>

[Deleted]

Joanne looked up.
"not really, there are red ones and blue ones and purple ones. Some are large and some are small. But they dont usually move."

[Deleted]

"10 hours" Kuragh growled annoyed that the corridor was to be used.
He checked the course once more and found he could shave over up to 2 hours by slingshotting around a black hole.
Whilst he waited to arrive he decided he ought to help out Joanne. He opened up an extra screen so that he could still monitor the flight path and accessed the LCARS menu.
After a few minutes work he prepared a statement he turned in his chair to face the cpatian.
"there a 4 types of nebula - dark matter, emission, inversion and Class17. To date several nebula have been encountered, Alwanir, Gamma Erandi, Lantar, Hugoro, MacPherson, Mar Oscura, McAllister, Omarion, Paulson, Volterra, Azure, Bertreka, Rolar and Jenkata. Informtaion is available here. www.startrek.com/startrek/view/search/result.html?type=article&search=nebula&category=" He said handing over a PAdd with his downloaded research.

[Deleted]

shris heard Kuragh give the information regarding Nebula's to the CO and then he looked at Joanne. She looked like she could do some damage to Kuragh. Shris tunred to Kuragh and said very quietly "Kuragh, you should mind your own station and let the rest of us do our jobs. I think you hurt Joanne's feelings. You should apologize to her."

Kuragh replied slightly louder than Shris "Mind your own business, Shris. You could do with keeping an eye on your own station and not everyone elses"

Shris gave kuragh a look, then he walked over to Joanne to see if there was anything he could do to help her.

[anderson]

Joan had finally sat down in the FO chair, and found that it wasn't bad. She looked around to see what she could do, and pulled out one of her many padds.

"Captain, maybe we should do something with the crew while we wait to get to know them better. It might help to take the edge off too. I have noticed the tension in the air, and I just thought it might help." She says trying to be helpful, as she watches the crew. She had noticed how it was hard to breathe, and she wondered if that was because of the tension. She also wondered if there was something wrong with the controls, or if she was just nervous. She gets up and walks over to ops.

"Commander Merit, are the environmental controls working as they should be?" She says, and then notices something is going on. "Is everything alright?" She says looking from the commander to Shris.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

"Hold that thought, Commander McCormick. Lieutenant Kuragh, Lieutenant Commander Zaksh' riszehn, if you would follow me please."

Zhukarak led the way to the Ready Room. There was only way to settle this. Kuargh was about to speak.

"Captain, I can't..." Zhuk cut him off.

"Stand at attention and listen to what I have to say...both of you."

Zhukarak took a moment to compile his thoughts. Both officers were a bit shocked, but stood still as requested. Zhuk was pacing with both of his hands behind his back, until he finally stopped infront of the two. They probably weren't used to being led by a marine. Well they would find out what it meant.

"Your conduct towards each other is unbecoming of a Starfleet officer. Any officer be it naval or marine. Least of all....yours." Zhuk now stood infront of the Klingon. "Need I remind you that you are a Lieutenant addressing an officer of higher rank? If you can't respect the person, you at least respect the rank. I will have no more such insubordination so long I am in command. If the two of you cannot resolve your personal issues once we leave here, I will resolve it for you. There are junior officers who would love to run your stations while you are relieved. Is that understood?"

A simultaneous "Yes!" came out.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Return to your stations. Let's find out what's in that nebula if anything."

Kuragh and Shris turned about and walked out. Zhukarak took a moment. He hoped this would resolve it. If not, he would have to follow through on his threat.

Leaving the Ready Room, Zhukarak returned to his seat. Cmndr1C McCormick gave a questionable look, Zhuk just gave a slight smile in return.

The Nebula was now visible on the main viewscreen.

"All stations, report!"

[Deleted]

"yes, the controls are fine.

[Deleted]

Kuragh returned to his station and brought the Hope out of warp. Switching to impulse he looped the nebula vessel in a curve to bring it to a rest just on the edge of the nebula. It swirled round them in deep billowing purple clouds.
"Conn is ready" He reported

[Deleted]

Shris bridled at the telling off but respected the Captains directness. He also returned to the tactical station.
Quickly he ran a systems check and reported back.
"Tactical is ready"
"Very well run scans" McCormick suggested.
Shris nodded and began a scan of the outer layers of the nebula.
Halfway through the cycle something flashed up.
He peered at the readings, something seemed strange.
"Ma'am could you look at these readings, I m picking up something strange deep in the centre of the nebula."

Tag McCormick

[Deleted]

Kuragh got up and joined them up at the rear station.
"Your right they are strange but I ve seen something like this before." he stated
And then went down to the Captain
"Sir. If I may I have seen readings like that. When I served as Second Officer on the IKS T'Tok I modified and improved our engine systems and cloaks. It worked brilliantly but then the Chief Engineer tried to see what I d done and jiggered it up."
"I take it your leading somewhere with this" Zhukarak asked,
"Yes sir after the mdification the T'Tok always gave out strange readings in nebula like the ones we see here"
"So you think theres something cloaked in there"
"Yes"

[Deleted]

i see nothing!

[anderson]

She goes over and looks at the reports. "Interesting." She says not sure what to make of them. She had never seen anything like this. "It could be a number of things, keep an eye on that and let us know if anything changes." She says, and then goes over to the captain to see what is going on between him and the klingon. She overhears only the captains last sentence.

"Sir, there could be a number of possible explanations for what they are seeing at tactical. It could be an anomaly in the neubla. How much do we know about this nebula?" She says realizing she meant to ask that earlier. She wonders why she hadn't asked, and dismisses it thinking this isn't the time to question her actions.

"Ops, run scans, make sure of what we are seeing. If you find any tetryons, report them immediately." She says turning back to the captain and klingon.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

Zhukarak was going through various scenarios of what could be so mysterious about this Nebula. Kuragh, of course thought that there might be a cloaked ship within, ready to strike at a moments notice. Joan reminded that as any nebula, it could just be giving the sensors a real workout.

"Lieutenant Kuragh, hold position. Let's not get any closer than we need to. Commander Zaksh' riszehn, ready a Class 2 probe and send it in. I want it's imaging telemetry fed to the main viewer here. Let's see what's inside."

The 'aye-aye's' came forth as confirmation of their orders received.

"What do you think is in there, Captain?" The young Commander First Class asked with certain uncertainty.

"That's just it. I don't know but aim to find out." Zhuk sat back wondering how long it was going to take for the probe to be ready. He knew that certain probes were kept on standby for such missions. If special packaging or sensor suites had to be added on, then engineering needed a few minutes to make the changes.

As if on cue, Shris reported in. "Probe is ready for launch, sir."

"Launch."

Zhuk, along with everyone else, observed how the image from the main viewer changed to that of the first person view of the probe. The purplish-pink haze of the nebula became bigger until it engulfed the entire viewscreen. The probe entered the fine mists of the nebula.

There seemed to be a long silence on the bridge as everyone was awaiting to 'see' what was out there, or better yet...in there. Then slowly a faint image could be seen. As the probe was guided closer, the image became more and more visible.

www.ex-astris-scientia.org/schematics/jemhadar-attackship.jpg

The tension on the bridge could have been cut with phaser fire.

Kuragh was the first to speak. "It's a Jem'Hadar attack ship. Captain, we must attack now!"

"No. If they had wanted to be hostile, they would have destroyed the probe by now. Commander Zaksh' riszehn, do you have any better readings now?"

"Yes, the telemetry is coming through now. It seems...just a minute...yes...the crew are in some type of stasis. One more thing, this ship appears to be from the time of the war."

Zhuk looked at Joan, Joan looked at Zhuk. Was it a long lost Jem'Hadar vessel that found itself in trouble within this Nebula? Would they know that the war was over? What next?

[anderson]

Joan is shocked to see what the scans reveal. She doesn't know what had happened, but she wants to help them. She looks over at Zhuk to find him looking at her. "Sir, how would something like this happen? I think they should be given the chance to live out their lives like the rest of us, but that could put this ship and crew into danger. We don't know what threat the ship brings to us, not to mention what the nebula would do to us if we dared to enter it to retrieve this ship." She says only loud enough for the captain to hear.

"Shris, I want to know the name of that vessel. Merit, once we know what vessel that is, I want to know who is aboard that ship, and also I want to know what their defenses are. Kuragh, take us in a little closer, but not too close. We don't want to be sucked into that." She says making sure she has everything covered. She is a very curious being, and she realizes that with the discovery of this trapped ship.

She sits down in her chair and pulls her console closer. She realizes she doesn't know much about this nebula, and starts to scan it with just the ship's sensors. She knows these scan will take a few minutes, and she finds something is going on. She looks up to see what, and finds the captain is looking at her again.

"I'm sorry, sir, did you say something?" She says not happy about being so absorbed in the nebula.

(Tag all)

[Deleted]

Shris gazed out at the bright pearl that lay against the swirling mists of gas and dust. Opalescent the clouds coruscated around the small attack ship. So peacefull and serene and yet deadly and filled with death dealers of the most efficent ruthless kind.

Who knew how long it had been there - The Dominion War was 20 years in the past, The Gorn/Dominion Invasion only 3. Either way the Jem'hadar were not known for there diplomacy.

Shris checked the tactical sensors once more and assertained that the attack ship was inert and dormant. He logged into records and checked the registry.

"It is Attack Ship Alpha 9-6. It was assigned to this region during the Dominion War but was listed as missiing in action. It has a crew of 9 led by a Vorta named Cyon."