U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901

/||\ ----------------------------------------
/ || \ UCIP Starfleet Command, Fifth Fleet
/ || \ U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
.-/ || \-. Captain Tebrun Lora Kor, Commanding
./ || \. ----------------------------------------
.-_-. || .-_-. Simulation Teaser
.-_ \||/ _-. -[ SD 240010.02 ]-

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"Well, I've got good news, and I've got bad news," Commander Velorna Tal
said.

Captain Tebrun Lora Kor sipped a bit of coffee out of a large silver mug and
nodded, waving the mug for her to go on. Behind his head, the large ring of
the Traxati hypergate spun, sometimes eclipsing Wormwood as the ship
continued to maneuver. Probe patrols were now moving more or less freely
through the system, though they hadn't yet attempted another attack on the
gate and its biological companions. As for Coro, they seemed to be ignoring
her in favor of the larger prey.

"The good news is that the transmission signature we detected from the
Antarax seems to be one the insectoids seem to use to identify themselves...
rather like an analog to the old identify-friend-or-foe systems used by
Starfleet vessels before subspace communications came along," Tal said.
"We've had a half-dozen probes and a single Spectre through the gate and
back in the last six days, all transmitting that signature, and none of them
have been interfered with."

Lora Kor nodded again. "Go on," he said, setting his coffee mug down.

"OK," Tal said, and tapped a control on Lora Kor's desk. A holographic map
popped up -- a single yellow star, a blue-black planet orbiting it, and a
Traxati hypergate nearby. The hypergate was covered in the biological
organisms, the same way the Wormwood gate was. In orbit of the planet,
seven Starfleet vessels and one Klingon ship each guarded a single
biological organism orbiting nearby. "Here's the target system. The star
is class G-4, perfect for humanoid life, and the planet is class M, though
sensor scans of it have been extremely inconclusive. We can't even confirm
the planet is inhabited. Other than the bodies shown, there is nothing in
the system of greater mass than 10 grams." Tal paused. "The Traxati wiped
the system clean, same as they did in Wormwood and Brimstone," she said.

Lora Kor nodded and leaned forward. "And the biological organisms?" he
asked, pointing to one.

"Seemingly identical to the ones clinging to the gate, which themselves are
identical at the DNA level to the species which attacked the Away team a few
weeks ago. The only difference is the space-borne ones have some kind of
genetically-enhanced armoring against the cold and vacuum that the
planet-bound one didn't have," Tal said. "We've managed to secure a sample
from one that was chopped up by the needles in the Traxati attack on the
Wormwood gate last week. Science teams are still going over it."

"Why can't we get scans of the planet?" the Captain asked.

"Unknown," Tal said. "Most of the sensor scans are being reflected back,
and the sensors on probes or our relay pods aren't sophisticated enough to
get better results," she continued. "Spectrographic scanners will work --
we were able to confirm the presence of water, oxygen, and a breathable
atmospheric mix from that. However, the most complicated scanner that's
worked so far is the thermographic imaging scanner from a class 4 probe. It
was able to confirm the planet's surface temperature." She paused, then
smiled wryly. "Minus 60 degrees Celsuius, on average."

Lora Kor looked up, shocked. "That's impossible! You said the planet was
class M!"

"Indeed I did. Baseline parameters for a class M planet are a
nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and open bodies of liquid water. This planet has
both in abundance, according to the spectrographs and visual scans," she
said, still with that wry grin.

Lora Kor leaned back and considered the Romulan woman. "Commander," he said
patiently, "would you like to explain to me how liquid water can exist at
minus 60 degrees Celsius?"

"Not particularly, no, sir," she said, eyes twinkling. "Not until I can get
down there and see it for myself."

"You might get that chance, sooner than you think," the Captain responded
cryptically. "You said there was good news and bad news. What's the bad
news?"

"Oh yes!" Tal said. "That. Well, sir, we know for a fact that this planet
is very far away. In another galaxy, in fact." Tal continued, ignoring the
Captain's look. "Our sensors can confirm that this system is definitely not
in the Milky Way. Aside from that, though, we don't know WHERE this system
is..." She smiled. "Other than on the other side of the Wormwood
hypergate, that is."

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Crew Roster:
Commanding Officer: Capt. Tebrun Lora Kor (Jester)
Executive Officer: Cmdr. Jarod Bentall (Alffred)
Marine Commandant: LCol. Jeremy Ironside (Fraser)
Platoon Leader: Maj. MayTa (MayTa)
Squadron Leader: 1Lt. Thomas Wayne (Masters)
Chief Engineer: Lt. (JG) Zunite Oswald (Sonya)
Assistant Engineer: Ens. Skylooker Aramis (Lewis_Sharp)
Assistant Engineer: Cdt. Jack C. Farley (CCC)
Chief Tactical: Lt. William Daren (Daren)
Assistant Tactical: Lt. Aurel Ian (Aurelian)
Assistant Tactical: Cdt. John Grimms (John)
Chief Flight Operations: LCdr. Fornan Dejat (McC)
Chief Science Officer: Cmdr. Velorna Tal (Aggie01)
Assistant Science: Ens. Tempus Phontam (Ragarok)
Chief Medical Officer: Lt. Dalton (Heiwa)

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Ross Glenn aka Jester
Captain Tebrun Lora Kor, U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
http://www.jestertrek.com/coro2400/
Acting Deputy Commander in Chief, UCIP (OOC)