/||\ ----------------------------------------
/ || \ UCIP Starfleet Command, Fifth Fleet
/ || \ U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
.-/ || \-. Captain Tebrun Lora Kor, Commanding
./ || \. ----------------------------------------
.-_-. || .-_-. Simulation Teaser
.-_ \||/ _-. -[ SD 240011.06 ]-
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/ Simulation Teaser |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
"Well, I figured out what the smell was about," Dalton said over the
communications circuit. It was yet again late into the ship's night, and
the Captain was trying to pull together the threads of what was facing the
Coronado.
"Go ahead," the Captain prompted, looking down into the monitor in the Ready
Room.
Dalton leaned back in his chair, apparently an attempt to look casual. Lora
Kor could tell it was feigned, however -- the Ullian's bearing was stiff.
"I managed to isolate a sample of that hydrocarbon compound they found on
the duplicate Starbase -- it turns out the compound is a lot more complex
than we thought. Lots of interactions between the compounds, and it was
interlaced with at least two amino acids. The computer thinks it's a
carbon-based lifeform, and I'm inclined to agree."
Lora Kor's eyebrows went up. "A gaseous lifeform? Is it intelligent?"
Dalton snorted. "I doubt it. The patterns weren't nearly that complex,
though I did find a rudimentary communications ability... through RF
frequency transmissions. But even if you put a pound of this stuff all in
close proximity, there's no way it could generate much more intelligence
than... oh, I'd say a particularly dumb domestic animal. A dog or a horse,
perhaps."
Lora Kor frowned. "Then this stuff is not what is communicating with Daren
and Phontam, or what abducted Lieutenants Wayne and Oswald," he said.
Dalton shook his head. "I'm afraid not, but I'll keep experimenting. The
good news is that I can isolate it now, so I've started the environmental
systems filtering it out of the ship's atmosphere." The Ullian smiled. "In
deference to your Federation ethics about terminating unknown lifeforms,
I've arranged for the compound to be piped into one of the cargo bays until
we know what to do with it."
Lora Kor smiled despite himself. "My compliments, doctor. Keep up the good
work."
Dalton cleared his throat. "I'm afraid there's more, Captain. I have a bit
of... bad news."
{{Here it comes,}} the Captain thought to himself. "Let's hear it, Doctor,"
he said.
"I managed to slip into Chief Tlaloco's... chapel," the Doctor said,
infusing the last word with amused sarcasm, "and run some scans on Daren and
Phontam. Whatever is being done to them is killing them. They're still
phasing in and out of our reality, and my tricorder says that they have less
than 36 hours to live... the Chief's interesting... treatment of them
notwithstanding."
The Captain nodded grimly. "Very well, Doctor. Keep me advised. Lora Kor
out." The Captain closed communications and looked up. "Savant, a moment
of your time, please."
The command liaison interface hologram materialized in the Ready Room a
moment later, favoring the Captain with her mysterious, winsome smile.
"What can I do for you, Captain?" she asked.
"Savant, you said that the hydrocarbon compound matched the atmosphere of
Delta Penora One. Is that right?"
The hologram nodded. "Yes, Captain," she said. "The compound matches a
component making up approximately 2.2% of the atmosphere of that planet."
The Captain was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Savant," he said finally,
"when was the last time that someone visited the Delta Penora system?"
The interface paused for a few moments, apparently accessing records, then
responded. "U.S.S. Minotaur conducted shakedown scans in the system 38 days
ago, Captain. The Minotaur is a new Akira class starship recently launched
from the Rigel Fleetyards. It is typical for a new ship to use a well-known
system for sensor calibration. Delta Penora has been used for this purpose
four times previously, the most recent--" The Captain cut her off.
"Thank you, Savant; I'm familiar with the procedure. Did the Minotaur take
an atmosphere sample of Delta Penora One?" he asked.
There was another pause. "Yes, Captain," Savant said finally. "86.4 moles
of atmospheric gasses from the planet."
"And a 2.2% chance that what they picked up was more of this compound?"
"That is logical, Captain," Savant replied.
Lora Kor stood up suddenly. "Savant, send a message to the Minotaur. My
compliments to her Captain, and she is to return to Delta Penora, best
possible speed, bringing that sample with her. Ask them to send the
chemical composition that they picked up." The Captain paused. "How long
to get back to Delta Penora?"
"Three hours, eight minutes, Captain, assuming slipstream velocity," Savant
said.
"Thank you, Savant." The hologram nodded and winked out. The Captain
tapped his combadge. "Bridge, any sign of Lieutenants Wayne or Oswald in
this system?"
Fornan Dejat's voice was confident over the Ready Room speakers a moment
later. "Negative, Captain. Starbase 81 also reports that they have had no
luck tracking down our officers. They're definitely not here."
"Very well, Commander. Get us back to Delta Penora, slipstream velocity."
\__________________________________________________________________________
\ End Simulation Teaser |
ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Crew Roster:
Commanding Officer: Capt. Tebrun Lora Kor (Jester)
Executive Officer: Cmdr. Jarod Bentall (Alffred)
Marine Commandant: LCol. Jeremy Ironside (Fraser)
Chief of the Boat: CPO Olme Tlaloco (Tlaloco)
Command Liaison Interface: Savant (Savant)
Chief Tactical: LCdr. William Daren (Daren)
Platoon Leader: Maj. MayTa (MayTa)
Squadron Leader: 1Lt. Thomas Wayne (Masters)
Chief Engineer: Lt. (JG) Zunite Oswald (Sonya)
Assistant Engineer: Ens. Aramis Skylooker (Skylooker)
Assistant Engineer: Ens. Jack C. Farley (CCC)
Chief Science Officer: Ens. Tempus Phontam (Ragarok)
Chief Medical Officer: Lt. Dalton (Heiwa)
Assistant Medical: 2Lt. Marrissa Morgan (Morgan)
On Leave of Absense:
Chief Flight Operations: LCdr. Fornan Dejat (McC)
Positions Available:
Squadron Leader
Assistant Tactical
----------
Ross Glenn aka Jester
Captain Tebrun Lora Kor, U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
http://www.jestertrek.com/coro2400/