USS Spectre Compile - December 1st-31st 2013 by Alan Reading ===================================================================== Mission: Inimicus Invisa, Part Two – Fallen Comrades Day: 5 Stardate: 2414.10.15 (USS Spectre - Deck One, Observation Lounge - CSO Lt.jg. Kurt Palmer - 15:27) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 15:41) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 15:44) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 15:47) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 15:52) (USS Spectre - Deck 4, Astrometrics - CSO Lt.jg. Kurt Palmer - 16:04) (ATV Garralon – Corridor – Cadet Twinnings – 16:15) (Tellarite Vessel - Bridge - Ser Vam Gicha and Dor Bashka - 16:20) (ATV Garralon – Hull – Cadet Twinnings – 16:21) (ATV Garallon - External Hull - Cadet Kurrik - 16:22) (Tellarite Vessel - Transport Room - Cadet Kurrik - 16:24) (USS Spectre - Bridge, Helm – Pilot Officer, 2nd Lieutenant Jennifer Smith - 16:50) (USS Spectre - Bridge – CO, Captain T'Vhor - 16:52) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:12) (USS Spectre – Deck 11, Junction Relay 57 Beta – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 17:17) (USS Spectre – Deck 12, Matter/Antimatter Reactor storage tanks – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 17:21) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:25) (USS Spectre – Deck 11, Junction Relay 57 Beta – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 17:27) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:34) (USS Spectre - Deck 3, Sickbay - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:35) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:37) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:38) (USS Spectre – Sickbay, CMO’s Office – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 17:40) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:42) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:44) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:45) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, ACEO's office - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:50) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:53) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:55) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 18:04) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO Ensign Jake Haltom and ACOUNS Dr. Riven Mias - 18:06) (USS Spectre - Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 18:09) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO Ensign Jake Haltom and ACOUNS Dr. Riven Mias - 18:10) (USS Spectre - Bridge – CO, Captain T'Vhor - 18:11) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 18:11) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 18:20) ===================================================================== Mission: Inimicus Invisa, Part Two – Fallen Comrades Day: 5 Stardate 2414.10.15 (USS Spectre - Deck One, Observation Lounge - CSO Lt.jg. Kurt Palmer - 15:27) The meeting was finally winding down. "In the interim I want a viable plan to find this vessel and crew in place within the hour. We will send a class II sensor into the void to gather the relevant data. Lieutenant Palmer and McKenzie, I suggest that you use this data in devising that initial plan" the Captain spoke. The science chief replied with a simple "aye, sir." And moments later the group started to disperse. Kurt rose to address McKenzie. "Lieutenant, I have to finish something on the bridge quickly. I will meet you in the science department in 30 minutes." (Reply, McKenzie, any) ((Post by Cody) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 15:41) Angeni was just about to open the case when all hell broke loose. Angeni followed Williams over to the biobed and she looked at the woman laying on the surface; the waxy, pale look to her skin caught her off guard. She immediately reached for woman's wrist and she gently draped it across her chest. Angeni was not only feeling for a pulse, but was assessing skin temperature, responsiveness, and respiratory effort all in one quick motion. Angeni wanted to jump into the fray, but out of respect for her comrade, she didn't. “Angeni get the emergency drugs and the defibrillator. We need to get her heart started, I am starting CPR!" The Cherokee nodded quickly and she ran over to the wall, opening up one of the cabinets, and she pulled out the big red 'Crash Kit'. Inside, it held all the emergency resuscitation drugs and tools needed to fight the good fight against death. As she turned back to the group, she saw something out of the corner of her eye and she turned quickly; she saw nothing. Angeni moved over to the patient and she opened the kit on a nearby rolling stand. She pulled out the neural stims and attached them to the patients' head. She then reached into the womans' shirt, placing a set of small, circular electrodes on her chest. The computer at the head of the biobed lit up, revealing the patients' vital signs...they all read zero. Angeni set the electrodes for electronic pacing. She rested her fingers on the patients' Carotid artery, feeling for a pulse as she went through the numbers. "Start at seventy and seventy..." She continued to feel for a pulse, "Increase output to eighty Milliamps...ninety...one hundred..." Suddenly, on the monitor, an electrical rhythm was captured, but the mechanical capture...the pulse under her fingers went away. "I think the heart muscle is paralyzed. Is there any possibility she could have taken something else? What was she doing before she collapsed?" (reply Any) As the pacer worked in conjunction with the CPR, Angeni stripped the young woman down, looking for needle marks or any type of evidence of foul play or injury. (Reply Anyone in Sickbay :) ) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 15:44) He saw Angeni fingers on the patients' Carotid artery as she called out the numbers. ~This is so not good~ "Start at seventy and seventy..." "Increase output to eighty Milliamps...ninety...one hundred..." "I think the heart muscle is paralyzed. Is there any possibility she could have taken something else? What was she doing before she collapsed?" His hands came back into position as he again started to perform compressions as Angeni began asking more questions about their patient. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve....” ~Come on, come on “...twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty.” He looked over at Douwsy who had slid into the small space at the head end of the bed as she gave two rescue breaths and he watched as the woman’s chest inflated and deflated with each breath. There was a soft ping from the biobed indicating that the defibulator was ready. “Okay every one stand back ready to shock.” He stepped back glancing around to make sure no one was touching the woman in the heat of the moment is had happened before with some very painful results. “Shocking.” The woman’s body spasmed as the electrical energy surged through her body and across her heart. He saw the heart convulse with the shock but then not beat any more. He paused for a second as he smelt a faint hint of burning, he glanced around sickbay but could not find the source before shaking his head and returning his attention to the woman before him. “Starting compressions.” He leaned forward again and began the chest compressions. He really hoped that they could get the woman’s heart started soon or her brain would have been starved without oxygen for too long He looked over at Angeni as she searched the woman for anything that might have suggested what was happening to her. “Found anything?” (Reply Angeni) (Reply Angeni, Anyone in Sickbay, any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 15:47) From her lab coat pocket, Angeni produced a bright pink, hooked, plastic object. She looped the hooked end in the collar of the woman's uniform and with one yank, she tore open the woman's shirt and followed with her pants. She stuck the object back in her jacket pocket and she went back to work, looking the woman over. The bruises, both young and old, were all over the woman's body. She saw the hand print shaped marks, the deep fingertip bruises, and the scratches brought up such an anger in the Cherokee that she nearly snapped the PADD that was handed to her in half. "What?!" She snarled at the poor nurse. The nurse shrank back from her, her voice meek. "I'm sorry, Dr. Trommashere. Here is the StatLab report." Angeni looked over it. She looked at the Counselor across from her and she tried to keep her voice calm. "Ms...Caras? Did you know that the patient has a hypersensitivity to sedatives along with Sick Sinus Syndrome? Why didn't you call medical?" (Reply Elani) Angeni looked at the nurse she chewed apart. "I need four milligrams of Narcan and half a milligram of Flumazenil." She double loaded both drugs into a hypo and she pressed the button, letting the medication fly. The patients' color slowly started to improve and Angeni looked over at Williams, a small smile on her face. As she stood there, she felt a presence behind her, looking over her shoulder. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and every portion of her body was telling her to turn around. The presence felt malicious and heavy. She took a deep breath and the sensation went away as she exhaled. "She should start coming around here in a moment...hopefully." (Reply Williams) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 15:52) Andrew had heard the way Angeni had talked to the nurse and would have a word about it to her. He knew that it was a stressful situation but there was no need to get snappy with the team. He watched as the patients' color slowly started to improve and Angeni which he returned. He saw her looking over her shoulder and look a bit worried before taking a deep breath. He was about to ask her if she was okay but she spoke first "She should start coming around here in a moment...hopefully." Andrew looked back at the patient and nodded the smell of burning wafted past him but he ignored it and concentrated on what was happening. “She does look like things are getting better. We will keep an eye on her for a bit. Thanks by the way.” He looked at the woman who was starting to stir. “Take it easy. You are safe, you in sickbay.” (Reply Carol) “You are going to feel pain in your chest and a feel bit light headed. Don’t worry it will pass.” (Reply Carol ) (Reply Elani, Trommashere, Carol,any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - Deck 4, Astrometrics - CSO Lt.jg. Kurt Palmer - 16:04) Kurt entered the modestly sized lab. Most of the light in the room came from view screen that took up the majority of the room. He nodded to McKenzie, who was already hard at work. "So, where are we?" (Reply, McKenzie) Kurt moved around to the other side of the terminal to see what his colleague had been working on. "Superb. I'll takcle the research part; see what we have on the void. Shall we exchange information in an hour and try to assemble a plan of action?" The chief paused to loosen his collar slightly. "I remember briefly seeing the name in something is was reading, but that's as far as my knowledge extends." (Reply, McKenzie) ((Post by Cody)) (ATV Garralon – Corridor – Cadet Twinnings – 16:15) Twinnings was not taking any chances there was a leak somewhere and that swirling stuff that was outside had found its way inside. He had been told by the EMH that he needed to be careful of the stuff so he took the suggestion to heart and was now wearing a Reinforced EVA suits that were stored in the emergency lockers near main engineering. He had used them a few times and was happy that he had something so tough to wear. He was not searching the corridors for the leak so that he could fix it. =^=Porsa to Twinnings=^= He paused in his search before answering. “Twinnings here.” =^=Kurrik is apparently outside the ship. Are you actually aware of this?=^= “No but don’t worry I’ll find him and get him back.” A grin spread across his face as he found that Kurrik was apparently on the hull. ~On the hull that would be so cool. Let’s go and hand a look.~ With that he stomped off towards the nearest air lock. (Reply None) (Posted by Robbie) (Tellarite Vessel - Bridge - Ser Vam Gicha and Dor Bashka - 16:20) The Tellarite vessel had been on a scavenging mission for the past five days. A common, and oftimes profitable venture considering the proximity of the Tsinkada void to the perimeter of Tellarite space. Officially of course, it was not considered to be a legal operation these days, the Federation having conducted negotiations regarding the stripping of vessels that had found themselves marrooned in areas of space that had become exploited by neighbouring worlds, and suitably equipped species. Sitting on the bridge of the ship though, Ser Vam Gicha perused the viewscreen at the seemingly derelict vessel ahead of him. Preliminary scans had shown it to be of Federation origin, but it seemed to have marginal power and three lifesigns aboard which somewhat negated the Tellarites salvage rights just a tad. That said though this was not the usual floating debris and defunct vessel that Gicha normally encountered in the void, so what was it doing here? There had been rumours through the grapevine that a skirmish of sorts had occured outside of the void in the last few days, and that transmissions had been monitored regarding a Federation distress call being answered by another Federation vessel. By all accounts everything had been settled accordingly with the stricken ship having been placed under tow. Was this the ship that had initially sent out the distress call? And if so, why would another Federation vessel falsify the proceedings and abandon it? Bashka had his suspicions and had voiced them to his superior already, indeed it was his view that the ship had possibly been contaminated in some manner. That some sort of skullduggery had perhaps taken place, and that as such the Federation could not possibly know what had become of the stricken cruiser. "I say that we beam aboard and take what we wish", he said, gruffly. "With proper biohazard precautions in place of course", he added. "And what of the three lifesigns aboard?", asked Gicha. "There are two of them currently outside on EVA manouvers of some sort. We can't just leave them" Bashka threw his shoulders back and stood up straight, a show of indignance perhaps. "It's not our concern", he snapped. "The ship is rich in resources, we can make a great profit from her. And let's be honest here, it's nothing like the trash that we are used to here", he added. Gicha nodded, a hand rubbing at his beard as he contemplated it all. The ship could indeed prove to be valuable, indeed they might even be able to take a break from the mundane, lacklustre existence they had been experiencing of late. Perhaps even a very long break! It was certainly tempting... "Bring the two outside aboard", he said curtly. "We will question them, see what they are doing here and how they ended up in this mess" Bashka nodded, although clearly he was not happy with his superiors choice of action... (ATV Garralon – Hull – Cadet Twinnings – 16:21) Twinnings was enjoying himself. The feeling zero-g was intoxicating and only knowing that is he demagnetised his boots he would just float away. He had popped out of the air lock and followed the computer indications until he found Kurrik on the hull looking at something. =^=Hay Kurrik what are you doing out here. It’s not safe =^= (Reply Kurrik) (Reply Porsa, Kurrik, any) (Posted by Robbie) (ATV Garallon - External Hull - Cadet Kurrik - 16:22) Kurrik was not himself, although he had no real idea 'why' he was not himself! Normally, a Vulcan devoid of logic was little more than a barbarian, or so Kurrik himself had come to believe, and yet out here now on the hull of the Garallon, looking for an elusive recipe for Plommik soup, he was becoming painfully aware of the fact that this was not exactly the most logical course that he should be taking. The ship was lost and losing what little power it still had left. The crew were all but gone. Porsa and Twinnings were alone, and Kurrik was looking to make the perfect Plommik soup! This was madness. For a brief moment though, he stopped and sat upon a protruding sensor hub nearby to gaze into the void. As dangerous as it seemed to be, it really was quite beautiful. Varying shades of purple interspersed with pink and blue streaks that swirled like the storms of Earths neighbour, Jupiter. What he did not expect to see though was a small vessel manouvering about 20,000 metres off their port aspect! It seemed to be watching him. Just sitting there holding station, Kurrik could even see the small impulse jets firing as it fought the eddies that were threatening to carry it away. It was at that point though that his comms came to life, the familiar sound of Twinnings echoing within his helmet. =/\=Hey Kurrik, what are you doing out here. It's not safe.=/\= Kurrik turned his head to the left and right looking for the source of the transmission, then upon seeing Twinnings moving towards him on the hull plating, his maglock boots resonating with it as he walked. Kurrik answered accordingly. "Then why are you out here Mr Twinnings", he said, concerned. (Reply Twinnings) Twinnings advanced closer, clearly not as concerned for his own welfare right now as he was for Kurrik's. Then as he arrived next to him, he glanced about at the void, seemingly as entranced as Kurrik had been beforehand. "You might want to look over there", said Kurrik, gesturing towards the object of their port beam, unsure now if what he thought he was seeing was actually what he was seeing. (Reply Twinnings) Kurrik nodded and then turned again towards the small vessel nearby. It was still holding station, apparently not aggressive but seemingly... Tellarite! "What do you suppose they want?", asked Kurrik. "Do you think they might have found my mothers recipe?" (Reply Twinnings) The image in Kurriks visor then began changing, Twinnings seemed to be de-molecularising! Kurrik looked down at his own hands to note that he too was undergoing the same process! "Mr Twinnings", he began, "I believe we are being tr......" (Reply Twinnings) (Posted by Alan) (Tellarite Vessel - Transport Room - Cadet Kurrik - 16:24) "....ansported", said Kurrik, finalising the sentence that he had begun at the point he had noticed that the two of them were dematerialising. Looking to his left he was relieved at least to see that Twinnings was still standing there with him, but where exactly were they? "It would seem that someone has requested our presence", said Kurrik, not one for stating the obvious but nonetheless being at a loss for any other words than those. (Reply Twinnings) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre - Bridge, Helm – Pilot Officer, 2nd Lieutenant Jennifer Smith - 16:50) "Deploy a navigational bouy at our current location", he ordered, turning quickly then to the helm. "Helm, proceed into the void. One quarter impulse, maintain a lock on the navigational bouy, the sensor probe and the reported findings within the void so as to maintain our navigational anchors" “Aye sir. Proceeding at one quarter impulse, keeping lock on navigational buoy and the sensor probe.” (Reply Tactical) She linked her console with the navigational buoy and the sensor probe. This would hopefully give them a fix of where they were and how to get back out again. ~Like bread crumbs. Just hope that no one will eat the trail~ She increased power to the impulse engines as she moved the spectre forward as the pink haze slowly filling the view screen. They were at one quarter impulse as they penetrated the perimeter. “Entering now.” She glanced at the reading from the navigational buoy and noticed some distortion. She quickly checked the sensor probe and found that keeping an accurate lock on to it was getting harder. “Sir. I am getting distortion and bounce back now that we have entered. I still have a lock on the navigational buoy and the sensor probe but the further we go in the harder it will become.” There was a slight pause before she continued. “Sir I recommend we launch additional navigational buoy as we move further in.” ~Like a trail of bread crumbs. All we need now is a ginger bread house~ (Reply T’Vhor) (Reply Tactical, T’Vhor Any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - Bridge – CO, Captain T'Vhor - 16:52) After successfully deploying the navigational bouy in an attempt to retain links with the voids perimeter, helm immediately began reporting that telemetry was being distorted. Not a good indication to the start of a retrieval mission. “Sir I recommend we launch additional navigational buoy as we move further in", offered the Helmsman. The Captain nodded accordingly. The standard range of the class II probe they had already sent in was around 400,000 Kilometres, but given that the material constitiuting the void seemed to be having an effect on their sensors, it was probably best to allow a larger margin of error than normal in regards it. That probe had reported what they believed to be was an ejected warp core at approximately 350,000 Kilometres, but by the time the Captain had arrived on the bridge, the sensor contact had shifted again. There were large eddies in this place that would likewise move things around, and whilst the helmsman would most certainly have her job cut out for her in regards maintaining a steady course, maintaining contact with the warp core, if indeedthat was what it was, was going to be even harder. "Prepare further bouys to be launched at 250,000 Kilometre intervals", said the Captain, "maintain a steady course towards the coordinates of the last relaiable contact data" (Reply Smith, IYW) The Captain then addressed the Science officer beyond. "See if you can enhance our sensor grid further, if we can relocate the warp core then we should be able to identify a dispersal track along its route", said the Captain. "That, at least, will give us the coordinates at which the core was ejected", he added. (Reply Science) The ship then continued on its course... (Reply Smith, IYW. Science, Any) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:12) While Engineering was as far from the nerve center of the ship as you could get the fact that probes had been launched and the ship had been eased into what was unarguably an unstable sector of space was not something that could be hidden or even kept quiet if anyone had a mind to do so. The chief was currently at his post on the bridge as was customary and Jake had been sent to oversee things in his absence. The components Wai had tested had performed flawlessly and K'Tell had been happy with the report, there were as ready as could be expected to penetrate into the Void. Jake was walking from console to console restlessly, peering over shoulders as the engineers performed their jobs. Engine coolant temperatures were at optimum and power distribution loss at a minimum as OPS made use of the available energy flowing from the warp engines. Warp field variance was within tolerance and Jake moved on. Matter/Antimatter intermix chamber flux was well within specifications as well. Jake nodded his head as he continued moving. The warp engines throbbed powerfully in the background and the bluish light from the coolant and intermix tubes cast their radiance over the cavernous interior as he stopped and cast his gaze around. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was 'off 'somehow despite the good news coming from every corner of the department. ~Or is it you old boy?~ He asked himself. Despite his vow to go to sickbay for a checkup there hadn't been time and he wasn't at top form at the moment. His throat was still scratchy and his energy level wasn't at its best. He didn't think that he had a fever and there were no chills still...a cold at the best would still be worrisome. "Sir the variance of the harmonics in the Matter/Antimatter intermix chamber is beginning to rise." Jake spun on his heel and made his way over then stood behind the technician. "How bad is it?" "Variance is at .002% and rising slowly sir." Jake's right hand reflexively went to his chin as it had when he had met Angeni and he moved to the side so that he could watch the readout. As he watched he saw that it was rising albeit slowly, very slowly. "Begin timing the variance rise and if it gets to .005% I want to know immediately, also inform me if the variance begins accelerating." "Yes sir." Jake nodded, there was no danger from the variance as of yet and wouldn't be for some time if it continued its current climb but there was no reason to stand back and let it happen. He tapped his combadge. "Ensign Scott Smith, Haltom here." (Reply: Scott) "I need you run some readings on the matter/antimatter intermix chamber and find out what is causing a slow degradation in the efficiency of the unit. Readings are still minimal but I want to get this locked down before there is even the possibility of it getting out of hand. Haltom out." (Reply: Scott) Jake then made his report to K'Tell. "Chief K'Tell this is Haltom, we are reading a slight rise in harmonic variance in the matter/antimatter intermix chamber. It is still minimal and the harmonics are well within tolerance but I have dispatched a technician to look into the matter." He listened to the Cheif's instructions. "Yes sir, I will advise you long before it gets to that point. Also should we get this nailed down you will know about this instantly." He stopped and crossed his arms as he frowned; nay glowered at the chamber in question. ~So what has got you in such a tither?~ (Reply: any) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre – Deck 11, Junction Relay 57 Beta – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 17:17) =^=Ensign Scott Smith, Haltom here=^= Scott looked up as the call came through. “Scott here what can I do for you Jake?” =^=I need you run some readings on the matter/antimatter intermix chamber and find out what is causing a slow degradation in the efficiency of the unit. Readings are still minimal but I want to get this locked down before there is even the possibility of it getting out of hand. Haltom out.=^= Scott nodded to himself as he thought about what the problem could be. If it was a problem with the chamber its self then there would be a bigger problem. He felt certain that they would have caught that in main engineering as there would have been alarms and stuff. He desided to go to the source of the problem. He picked up his tool case and headed for the turbolift. (Reply Any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Deck 12, Matter/Antimatter Reactor storage tanks – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 17:21) Scott entered the Matter / Antimatter Reactor storage tanks with a little bit of caution. If something went wrong with the timing or the amount of matter or antimatter that was injected from the tanks to the dilithium crystal then they would have an uncontrolled reaction. This could lead to a containment breach and destroy the ship. He pushed the thoughts aside and looked at the injectors which were situated at the base of the tanks to move the matter or antimatter to the deck below. He slid on to the floor beside the tank and looked at the seven injectors which were spaced around the base of the tank. From a quick visual inspection that looked fine but looks could be deceiving. He pulled out his tricorder and began to scan each one in turn as he looked at one of the injectors it reminded him of one of the dwarf Grumpy from snow white ~I would be to mate if I have to hold up the tank all the time~ He began to absent mindedly hum the tune as he worked. He rolled back out from under the tank and tapped his comm badge. “Ensign Jake Haltom, Smith here.” (Reply Haltom) “I’ve scanned the injectors for the matter or antimatter storage tanks. There is a slight variation in all the firing sequence of the injectors which is causing the problem but I can’t work out what caused it.” He paused for a moment as out of the corner of his eye he though he saw another of the injector / dwarfs smile at him. ~You really need to stop pulling these long shifts and get some decent sleep~ He pulled his mind back to the conversation and carried on. “Do you want me to run a diagnostic on each one and then recalibrate them? That will give you reduced efficiency as I take one off line in sequence.” (Reply Haltom) (Reply Haltom, any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:25) Jake tapped the combadge at the tone. =^= Ensign Jake Haltom, Smith here. =^= "This is Haltom, go ahead Scott." =^= I’ve scanned the injectors for the matter or antimatter storage tanks. There is a slight variation in all the firing sequence of the injectors which is causing the problem but I can’t work out what caused it... do you want me to run a diagnostic on each one and then recalibrate them? That will give you reduced efficiency as I take one off line in sequence. =^= It didn't take Jake long to muse on that one. "I can adjust for the efficiency loss here, do what you need to do. I'll be watching each injector closely." (Reply: Scott) "Good enough, Haltom out." Jake took over the main console and accessed the magnetic field isolation emitters which controlled the flow of matter/antimatter fuel into the intermix chamber, as one injector was taken out of the process the flow from the others was adjusted in order to keep the fuel intermix ratio in balance. The procedure was not a difficult one but he had to keep his mind focused despite his discomfort which wasn't easy. "Hey toothpick, you look like you're about to fall on the floor, want me to take over for you?" Jake flicked his eyes over to Gork and nodded. "You heard what I'm doing?" "No, I'm deaf as a stone." The Tellarite growled. "However I've learned to read the lips on the back of a being's head." Jake shook his head, he didn't have the attention span for amusement at the moment. "You're adjusting the fuel intermix ratio as the injectors are taken off line, calibrated and returned to service." Gork finished. \ Jake nodded and stepped to the side of the console then showed the Tellerite the adjustments he had been making. Gork nodded in satisfaction, she was quite aware of the process. He stepped back with a sigh and activated the com. "Scott this is Haltom, I'm stepping out to go to sickbay. Engineer Gork will be manning the station until I return. She will be your go to for coms for a while." (Reply: Scott) Jake nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Haltom out." (Reply Scott) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre – Deck 11, Junction Relay 57 Beta – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 17:27) =^=I can adjust for the efficiency loss here, do what you need to do. I'll be watching each injector closely.=^= “Okay I’ll get started then.” =^=Good enough, Haltom out=^= Scott looked around at the seven injectors. “So who wants to go first?” He looked around and smiled. “Well there is something up with you Happy. I think you need to stop taking what you are taking you are just far too happy for your own good.” He gave a sigh. “Sleepy, Sleepy stop it, wake up! You need to stay awake when I’m asking you a question. Your narcolepsy is not an excuse to get out of it I will have recalibrate you any way. He shook his head and signed again. “Thank you Doc. It is good to see that at least one of you is willing to go first. I’ll start with you.” He crawled forward and began working on Doc. It did not take long and he methodically proceeded to work his way around that others. =^=Scott this is Haltom, I'm stepping out to go to sickbay. Engineer Gork will be manning the station until I return. She will be your go to for coms for a while=^+ He paused for a moment before answering. “No problem. I’m just hanging up. See you later.” =^=I'll be back as soon as I can, Haltom out.=^= He looked at the last one. “Now come on Grumpy. You are the last one. Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey did not seem to mind although next time you want to sneeze Sneezy please give me some extra warning there is not a lot of space down here to get out of the way.” He looked back at Grumpy who was not having it. “Now look I need to get this sorted. If you are going to have a temper tantrum, you better pack it in right now. If you don’t behave I will have to give you a time out and I won’t turn you back on for five minutes. Do you hear me?” There was a pause before he smiled and nodded. “Good I am glad that you agree now hold still. This won’t hurt a bit.” (Reply any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:34) Angnei had just finished breifing the medical team on the bands. They were talking among themselves and she excused herself to look over the patients in the bay and it also gave her an excuse to get up and move around. The environment felt heavy and stale; the presence that would leave her and return now seemed to be following her every move. She felt tired and emotionally exhausted, as if something was sucking the life out of her. She was about to enter the office again when she heard a familiar voice behind her. "I contracted a cold or some such malady this morning and it's been getting progressively worse over the day. I've got important matters to oversee and need you to get me in and out as fast as possible." Angeni turned around and saw Jake standing a few feet from her. The corner of her mouth tilted up in a very slight smile as she strode over to him. She looked at the nurse, waving him off. "What's going on? How do you feel?" She reached over, taking his wrist into her hand. She felt his pulse throbbing under her fingers. She slipped her fingers from his wrist, gently sliding her fingers along his palm, noting they were warm and dry, and she finished by gently squeezing his hand, noting the capillary refill in his nail beds; they blanched slightly as she squeezed, but the color returned to them quickly. She nodded over to the biobed behind him and she stood at the head of it. (Reply Jack) Angeni looked him over as he spoke; she reached up, pulling his eyelids open just a bit more than they already were so she could examine the sclera. She let her fingers work over his sinuses, feeling how warm his face was. She moved under his neck, sliding her fingers along his jaw and neck, feeling the lymph nodes. Lastly, she placed her fingers on either side of his trachea and felt him breathe, swallow, and speak. She did this quickly and quietly, all in the space of his response. (Reply Caras, Jack, and Williams) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre - Deck 3, Sickbay - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:35) Jake looked around as the doors to medical opened, he was already impatient to get back to his station and he hadn't even seen a doctor yet. He walked in casting his eyes about to see if there was anyone available and strode to the first person he saw. "I contracted a cold or some such malady this morning and it's been getting progressively worse over the day. I've got important matters to oversee and need you to get me in and out as fast as possible." It wasn't that he disliked being there but he was needed elsewhere. (Reply: Any in sickbay) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:37) "What's going on? How do you feel?" Jake sighed in relief as Angeni waved the nurse away. He held up the hand she took as he spoke. "I've got a scratchy throat like I've been trying to talk in Beast Form." He chuckled then flinched as it caused a bit of discomfort. "I also feel drained, am distracted and unfocused. Also I'm starting to get a bit of a headache." He sighed as she motioned to the biobed and followed obediently, the sooner he complied the sooner he would be out and back to his post. She put him through all of the paces as it were as she worked to diagnose just what he had contracted and he did as he was told. During a pause he added. "I drank a lot of cold water a while ago and it seemed to help but not for long so I know I'm not dehydrated. How long do you think I'm in for?" (Reply: Angeni) He forced himself to nod rather than reply. He knew he was being the typical pushy patient and didn't want to start whining like some people he knew did. oh how he hated the whiners! ~I'm needed somewhere else, I don't have time for this!~ Well he had left the department in good running order and it would take as long as it would take which hopefully wouldn't be much longer. "I was hoping maybe you could just give me a shot of antibiotics and vitamin supplements or some such and maybe even a stimulant and run me out the door." He grinned hopefully. (Reply: Angeni) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:38) "I drank a lot of cold water a while ago and it seemed to help but not for long so I know I'm not dehydrated. How long do you think I'm in for?" Angeni pulled a pen light from her pocket. She gently put her hand against his forehead, tilting his head back slightly. She shined the light up each nostril and flicked the beam across his eyes quicky. She rubbed under his chin again, a puzzled look washing quickly across her face. She pulled out her tricorder and did a cursory sweep over him. "Well, the coolness will help take the sting away from your throat and it also kicks up your metabolism a bit, so you feel a rush of energy, but as you noticed, it doesn't work for long. You probably have the creeping crud that's moving through the station, but you don't show any signs of it..." She trailed off as she stifled a yawn. "If you have it, you are in for a few days of just generally feeling like crap." "I was hoping maybe you could just give me a shot of antibiotics and vitamin supplements or some such and maybe even a stimulant and run me out the door." Angeni giggled and gently placed her hand on his arm. "You don't get away from me that easily. I'll give you the 'Happy Juice' cocktail and send you on your way. No antibiotics, as this seems to be more of a viral thing, but you get Interferon, which is an anti-viral, Thiamine and Vitamin D for energy, and a very low dose of Modafinil to propel you through the rest of the day. Sound good to you?" (Reply Jake) She keyed in the appropriate medication into the hypospray and she gently pressed it against his neck. The gentle hiss let her knew it delivered. "I'll give you a spray to take with you. Give yourself a dose once every six hours and at least two hours prior to bed as the Modafinil might make it hard for you to sleep. Bring the hypo back to me after three days. I'll give you another once over, but you should actually be feeling better sometime tomorrow or early the next day. I'm also going to give you this..." She walked over to one of the replicators and she pressed a few buttons. A travel mug materialized in the window and she brought it over. "Here's what's called a Magic Swizzle. It's Eucalyptus tea with Jasmine and Green tea mixed in for taste. The Eucalyptus will help numb your throat and help open everything up. It's in the replicator, so if you want more, it's under Magic Swizzle." (Reply Jake) Angeni handed him the mug, turning her head away to yawn again. As she turned, she saw what looked like a figure moving out of her field of vision. She furrowed her brow and turned back to Jack, pointing over her shoulder. She looked at him, her lips beginning to form words, but she couldn't ask him. She knew it was just her imagination. Instead of looking like an idiot, she just smiled lightly at him. "Unless you want to relax in the quiet room behind me for a few hours, I'm going to finally kick you out of here. See me in three days if nothing else happens, but come find me immediately if you experience worsening headaches, chest pains, or any other signs and symptoms that make you feel uncomfortable." (Reply Jake) She handed him the hypo with the 'Happy Juice' and a Padd with his discharge instructions on them. Angeni smiled at him as she pulled the bun out of her hair, letting her tresses cascade down her back. "Being stuffy and official just isn't me. I hope you have a fantastic rest of your day. Make sure you get some rest tonight. If you need help sleeping, just come down here and someone will give you something. I'll document that you can have a mild sedative since the Modafinil has the potential to keep you awake." (Reply Jake) Angeni smiled at him. "Come on. I'll walk you out." (Reply Jake) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre – Sickbay, CMO’s Office – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 17:40) Andrew woke up with a start sitting bolt upright in his chair and scattering the PADD he was reading, it skittered across the desk an onto the floor thump. He had been more tired than usual and decided to have a nap which like all his other chances of sleep were never very fitful. He got up and made his way to the replicator. He ordered one of his caffeine boosters and sipped it as he went back to his seat. He suddenly stopped sipped his drink as a strong smell of burning filled the room. He suddenly recognised the smell as burning flesh and spun round to where it was coming from. There standing in the corner of the room stood a female shape writhing in flame. It lifted its burning arms as it tried to reach out for him. His eyes grew wide as he watched as it strode across the room, its footsteps setting the floor alight. It reached him and put its face inches away from his. He could feel the heat radiating off it as it let out a soundless scream. The room exploded into flame as everything spontaneously combusted around him. He leaped back off the chair and landed hard on to the deck. In a blink of an eye everything was how it was normally. The fire and the fiery woman had gone leaving a clean and tidy office that was there before. Andrew took a few deep breaths to steady the adrenalin that was rushing through his body as he slowly stood up. He took his drink and downed it in one go feeling the rush of caffeine building over the subsiding adrenalin. He gave a sigh and shook his head. “Great just what I need, now I’m seeing her when I’m awake. That’s just brilliant.” He grabbed his PADD and headed out of his office not wanting to be there a minute longer. (Reply any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:42) She had an easy manner he appreciated and he enjoyed her hand on his arm. "You don't get away from me that easily. I'll give you the 'Happy Juice' cocktail and send you on your way. No antibiotics, as this seems to be more of a viral thing, but you get Interferon, which is an anti-viral, Thiamine and Vitamin D for energy, and a very low dose of Modafinil to propel you through the rest of the day. Sound good to you?" He nodded slowly so as not to bring on a jab of pain from his skull. "That sounds great to me, all I want is a quick patch to get back to work that will keep me going till I can shake this." He watched her ready the hypo then relaxed his neck and shoulder muscles as she administered the meds. "I'll give you a spray to take with you. Give yourself a dose once every six hours and at least two hours prior to bed as the Modafinil might make it hard for you to sleep. Bring the hypo back to me after three days. I'll give you another once over, but you should actually be feeling better sometime tomorrow or early the next day. I'm also going to give you this..." He watched her walk over to the replicator and key in the instructions for something, at any other time he would have been more observant. She brought him back an insulated mug which he took appreciatively then sniffed the contents, it had a sharp but not overpowering herbal scent which blossomed in his nostrils. "Here's what's called a Magic Swizzle. It's Eucalyptus tea with Jasmine and Green tea mixed in for taste. The Eucalyptus will help numb your throat and help open everything up. It's in the replicator, so if you want more, it's under Magic Swizzle." "Great!" He smiled. He could run to the kiosk any time he needed to get more of it, better yet he would use his office since it was closer to Main Engineering. It would also be available in his quarters of course. He sat up and took an experimental sip of the hot beverage and could feel the eucalyptus already trying to work its way up into his sinuses so he swung his legs over the edge of the biobed and took another longer sip. "Unless you want to relax in the quiet room behind me for a few hours, I'm going to finally kick you out of here. See me in three days if nothing else happens, but come find me immediately if you experience worsening headaches, chest pains, or any other signs and symptoms that make you feel uncomfortable." He nodded. "Thanks but now is not a good time for resting." He got up with a sigh and was already looking forward to being able to swallow without pain. Chances were the eucalyptus wouldn't be a magic bullet for that today but at least it should help noticably. His plan of attack was simple, drink this one on his way back and grab another in his office to sip on while he was working. He smiled at her after standing. "Thank you for seeing me, I guess I'll have to get to sickbay more often now that you're around." He then winked to show he was joking. "Truth be told I avoid the medical deck as much as possible." He set down the mug then took the hypo from her and gave it a glance before repeating back the instructions. "One dose every six hours and at least two hours before bedtime, sounds simple enough." He looked up to see her shake her hair down and his eyes got wider, oh how he loved long hair and always had. "Being stuffy and official just isn't me. I hope you have a fantastic rest of your day. Make sure you get some rest tonight. If you need help sleeping, just come down here and someone will give you something. I'll document that you can have a mild sedative since the Modafinil has the potential to keep you awake." He nodded woodenly before putting the hypo safely in a pocket and picking the mug back up from the side table he had put it on. "And the same to you, it looks like you need a bit of rest as well." He stepped forward. "And I prefer casual myself." She gave him a smile. "Come on. I'll walk you out." He fell in step beside her and decided not to let the opportunity pass by. "So how about scheduling that lunch for tomorrow if you're available? I am already looking forward to feeling better." (Reply: Angeni) He nodded as they reached the door. "Good enough, if you can't make it just let me know and we'll reschedule. I'll give Wai a call once I get back to Engineering, I know she'll appreciate some good news from me for a change." He chuckled then, remembering the task he had given her earlier in which she had saved his behind. ~Behind every successful officer is another who can do the job better than he can and make him look good in the process.~ (Reply: Angeni) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:44) "So how about scheduling that lunch for tomorrow if you're available? I am already looking forward to feeling better." Angeni turned to him, a smile on her face. "Sure. I work Charlie shift tomorrow, so unless there's a mass casualty incident, I should be free." "Good enough, if you can't make it just let me know and we'll reschedule. I'll give Wai a call once I get back to Engineering, I know she'll appreciate some good news from me for a change." She hooked a tendril of hair behind her ear. "I'm sure you'll be feeling better pretty quick. As I said, you aren't the first to come in over the last few days with similar symptoms and it seems to only last for 48-72 hours. All we can do is just treat the symptoms until we nail down exactly what's causing it. My thought is, patient X picked something up on the station and..." Angeni trailed off, her face turning beet red. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling. I'll let you know if there are any changes. Say hello to Wai for me." She reached over, squeezing his arm again with a small smile on her face. "Feel better. See you around." With that, she took a half step forward and the door slid open. She gave him a quick wave and she walked back to her office. She sat down in her chair and she turned her back to the door, closing her eyes for a moment as she tried to pull some energy back into her body. As she opened her eyes, she saw a dark specter move from her line of sight. It startled her so badly she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. ~Get it together....get it together...~ (Reply Jack, IYW) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:45) She blushed which he found appealing. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling. I'll let you know if there are any changes. Say hello to Wai for me." She squeezed his arm again and smiled. "Feel better. See you around." Jake smiled, nodded and walked out the door sipping on the Magic Swizzle as he walked down the corridor. (Reply None) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, ACEO's office - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:50) He stepped into his office and walked to the replicator, after it opened he put the mug inside which he had drained on the way down. The drink wasn't easy to guzzle he had found but his throat felt a bit better and he was feeling more energetic thanks to the vitamin cocktail Angeni had given him. "Magic Swizzle." He said with a smile on his face when the door had closed. "You thought you had destroyed me but what does a mortal know about immortality?" Jake spun around, his eyes searching, that deep gravely voice! He saw nothing though in the small office. "Not funny guys," he grated as he walked to his desk and checked the com which was off. His own combadge was inactive as well. His head turned as he looked once more about the room then he stepped back toward the replicator which had already toned. His mug was ready. "You didn't abosrb my soul, how could you hope to kill the firstborn of Akatosh?" "Alduin?" He jerked his head around and caught the shadow of a tremendous form out of the corner of his eye but when he looked there was nothing there. His blood was boiling as he reached inside the replicator and took out the mug filled with steaming liquid, its fragrance already blooming in his nostrils. "When I find out who is behind this heads are going to roll!" He grated. He turned back to the room at large and put the mug to his lips and took a precautionary sip, it tasted like blood! Jake spat out the mouthful and wiped his lips on his sleeve, nearly gagging. "Do you refuse the gift then?" That was Aela's voice! His eyes searched for the beautiful huntress but of course there was no one there. "Damn it she didn't tell me all of the side effects of those drugs!" He spat and put the mug to his face once again, the herbal scent was still strong. The next sip he took with caution, ready to throw the mug on the floor if he tasted blood again but this time the flavor of the eucalyptus and teas was clear. He savored the mouthful as he continued scanning the room while wondering where someone might have hidden a speaker. The shadow he could chalk up to his own imagination but the tea... He strode to the door quickly and out into the corridor, putting the voices for now behind him. ~I don't know who thinks it's funny to take some of my experiences out of the holodeck files to startle me with but I won't stand for it!~ He was seeing red as he made for Main Engineering. (Reply Any) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 17:53) His face was beet red as he walked through the doorway, the scratchiness in his throat had abated somewhat as his eyes looked about accusingly. He was wondering which of the engineers had set him up. The ones that saw him come in gave him strange looks but he saw no guilty or gleeful expressions so he paused only momentarily before walking over to the Tellarite who was still manning the main console. ~Maybe it wasn't an engineer, surely they would know better.~ "Hey shaggy rug, how is the work going?" He asked as he stepped up. Gork glanced up only long enough to verify who had walked up to her before looking back down. "He's almost finished, one of the injectors appears to be causing him some trouble but the rest are showing as perfectly balanced." "Good." Jake stood by and let her complete the operation as his eyes scanned the engineering deck. Everything else appeared to be in order. As his eyes raked across the warp core he shuddered and closed his eyes then opened them again. The warp core was right there. "What the hell?" "What toothpick?" Gork asked with amusement in her voice without looking up. His mouth opened and closed before he spoke. "I think I'm having some unforseen side effects to the drugs they gave me." Gork glanced up with concern. "What kind?" "I've been hearing voices and just now when I looked at the warp core it looked like the Aetherium Forge." He shrugged. "I'm feeling better but I'm wondering if the cure is worth the trouble." "What is an Aetherium Forge?" The Tellerite asked. He chuckled which reminded him his throat was still a bit raw so he took another sip of the swizzle. "A Dwemer machine from a holodeck game. You'd be surprised how much it looks like the warp engines except with a different color palette." "It sounds like you need to report the symptoms." She nodded matter of factly. "I would." "Just what I was thinking." He tapped his combadge as she turned her attention back to the panel. "Dr. Trommashere this is Jake Haltom, I need to report some strange reactions I'm having to the medicine." (Reply: Angeni) "Well..." He paused for an instant. "I'm hearing voices and seeing things from the game we were playing like I'm reliving some past experiences or alternate possibilities." (Reply: Angeni) "I know it's weird," He shrugged. "I've also seen some strange shadows out of the corner of my eye. The only thing I can figure is that it has to do with the meds. I am feeling more energetic and my throat is getting better but still ... it's a high price to pay for a cure." (Reply: Angeni) He sighed. "Yeah, I'll come back up. Haltom out." "Well so much for returning to work." He said and Gork nodded. "I've got this, go ahead." Before leaving though he tapped his combadge again. "CPO Biign this is Haltom." (Reply: Wai) "No it's good news this time." He grinned. "We have a tentative lunch date with Angeni tomorrow to finish up our aborted first meeting. Ten Forward at noon." (Reply: Wai, any) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 17:55) Angeni stood in the little bathroom off of Sickbay, her hands trembling. Just a few moments before, she had dozed off in her chair finishing up the report on Jake. She awoke to the sight of Nun'Yunu'Wi standing before her, extending his cane towards her, the tip glowing with Hellfire. She gasped, putting her hands out to protect her and the image vanished. She had become sick to her stomach and she had run off to the bathroom to vomit. As she splashed cold water on her face, she caught sight of her visage in the mirror; over her shoulder, she saw the ghastly face of a patient who had died years before. She spun around and the person was gone. Angeni could hear her heart beating in her ears and it was going faster than a Hummingbirds'. She gasped, trying to catch her breath as her comm badge went off. =/\= "Dr. Trommashere this is Jake Haltom, I need to report some strange reactions I'm having to the medicine."=/\= Angeni swallowed hard as she hit her badge. "W...what's going on?" Her voice was strained. =/\="Well..." He paused for an instant. "I'm hearing voices and seeing things from the game we were playing like I'm reliving some past experiences or alternate possibilities."=/\= I don't think it's the medication.... "Well...ah...come back and I'll check you out again." She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. She knew from the mission briefing that the crew was going to experience the range of hallucinations. She looked back in the mirror; her face showed her exhaustion. Even with a full nights' sleep and having slept in, she felt so tired. She hoped that she could get back to her quarters and she'd go to bed early, or she could sneak an hour in the quiet room. She left the bathroom and went back into sickbay. She readied her neural scanners and she awaited Jake's arrival. (Reply Jake) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 18:04) Angeni moved through the now swamped bay as she administered mild sedatives to everyone. The hallucinations were coming hard and fast; while she was expecting more visual hallucinations, crew members were experiencing the full five senses of hallucinations. She ran the dermal regenerator over a patients' wrists, healing the self inflicted wounds over someone who was driven to suicide due to the sirens song of the hallucinations of his dead wife. She doped him up again and he fell back into a fitful sleep. She heard the hiss of the doors open and she saw Jake walk in. She motioned for him to come over and she moved to him. Before she could speak, he began. "I'm sorry Angeni, I completely forgot about the properties of this sector of space. I should have thought of it before comming you. I'll just leave. I really am starting to feel a bit better and appreciate the time you put in helping me." Angeni shook her head, stepping close to him. "No, I asked you to come back. I want to make sure you are okay..." "No really, I don't want to bother you. I can see everyone is busy already and it's really not that bad now. Nothing I can't handle I assure you." Angeni stepped closer to him. She reached out to him and instead of grasping his arm, she looped her pinky finger around his. Her deep grey eyes held a look of pure exhaustion and angst. "No. Stay. Please." (Reply Jake) (NRPG: Taking a few liberties with your response. Let me know if you want me to change it.) She closed her eyes for a moment, basking in the touch of something solid and firm. She had gotten to the point where she was questioning everything around her and just holding onto his hand was enough to ground her for the moment. She let go as a nurse walked past and she ran her fingers through her hair. "I can...uhm..." She closed her eyes, lost in thought for a moment. "I can put on a neural stimulator..maybe I can set it so that it blocks unprocessed auditory and visual signals..." She turned to a drawer and opened it . "Yeah. I think I can change this to block out unprocessed signals and give you a boost of Dopamine. You might hear what sounds like electronic static, but with the Dopamine, you won't give a flying flip about it. It's the only thing I can think of doing without sedating you..." Angeni looked at Jake, her eyes wide. Over his shoulder she saw a woman with half her head missing. The Nun'Yunu'Wi stood behind her, his cane pointing at the Cherokee woman. The tip of the cane was glowing a nasty shade of green. Angeni closed her eyes, muttering a quick prayer under her breath. (Reply Jake) She sat him down, placing the stimulator just behind his left ear. She fixed another one, placing it behind his right ear. Her hands shook lightly as she worked, but she kept an air of calm professionalism. She activated the stimulators and she looked at him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "How do you feel?" (Reply Jake) Angeni nodded and she moved over to the replicator. She made him another Magic Swizzle and she replaced the cold insulated mug with a new one. "I'm sorry you had to come back. I know this isn't exactly your favorite place to hang out. This won't exactly fix it, but it's a semi decent bandaid..." A crash was heard from the other side of Sickbay. She turned her head and saw a patient standing atop her biobed. She held a rolling tray out in front of her and a Medic was laying on the ground, moaning softly with a hand trying to hold the blood in that was pouring from a head wound. The Vulcan Medic laid there stunned as green blood oozed through his fingers. Angeni cast a sad look in Jake's direction. "Duty calls." She reached out, squeezing his bicep. "You know where to find me if you need something." (Reply Jake) She gave him a half hearted smile before moving quickly over to the Medic. She helped him up and she stood in front of the biobed, her hands up. "Na'vani..." She began calmly, "Come on down from there...please?" She took a slow step towards the biobed, keeping her hands up. "Dr. Williams?" She raised her voice to try and be heard over the noise of Sickbay. "Are you super busy at the moment, sir?" (Reply Williams) "I could use a bit of a hand over here if you have a moment." Her voice was calm but firm. She swallowed the exhaustion as best as she could. "Na'vani...please come down from there. Let's talk..." (Reply Jake, Williams) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO Ensign Jake Haltom and ACOUNS Dr. Riven Mias - 18:06) "No. Stay. Please." Jake shrugged as she took his hand and allowed her to hold it which seemed to steady her, the atmosphere in the room seemed to be charged with malevolence. He wasn't sure if it was because of longer exposure for him or being in the vicinity of others who were under thrall from the void. "Sure, I'll stay," he said gently. "You didn't stay for me. You left me behind." He gritted his teeth at Lydia's voice from behind him knowing that if he turned she would not be there. After a moment of contact she led him to a cabinet with a chair nearby. "I can...uhm..." She closed her eyesfor a short time. "I can put on a neural stimulator..maybe I can set it so that it blocks unprocessed auditory and visual signals..." She opened one of the drawers and pulled out two small units. "Yeah. I think I can change this to block out unprocessed signals and give you a boost of Dopamine. You might hear what sounds like electronic static, but with the Dopamine, you won't give a flying flip about it. It's the only thing I can think of doing without sedating you..." Her eyes flew open at something behind him and he gritted his teeth as she was caught in the throes of some horrifying vision. "Angeni!" He snapped, trying to take her attention off of whatever she was seeing and he caught her left shoulder with his right hand while he stepped into her line of sight. "Angeni snap out of it." It seemed to have helped or maybe the vision had run its course. He sat down at her urging and allowed her to set the stimulators behind his ears. "How do you feel?" "I can hear a strange buzz in the background but otherwise everything appears to be normal," He shrugged. She brought him another mug of the tea and exchanged it for the one in his hand. "I'm sorry you had to come back. I know this isn't exactly your favorite place to hang out. This won't exactly fix it, but it's a semi decent bandaid..." "Thanks..." He was saying as a ruckus broke out in sickbay, he had caught a glimpse of someone falling out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to follow it, Angeni however was blocking his view f most of what was happening though he could hear moaning. "Duty calls." She reached out and squeezed his arm. "You know where to find me if you need something." He nodded and rose then began walking to the door as she moved to help. He could see one of the medics oozing green blood from a head wound. Na'vani..." Angeni was talking to one of the patients who appeared to be trying to back through the bulkhead as she stood at the head of the biobed. "Come on down from there...please?" "Dr. Williams. Are you super busy at the moment, sir?" (Reply Williams) "I could use a bit of a hand over here if you have a moment. Na'vani...please come down from there. Let's talk..." She was pleading with the woman as Jake was headed for the sickbay doors, cringing at what was happening. Compared to what was going on here he felt guilty about his small issues. (Reply Williams) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams - 18:09) "Dr. Williams?" Andrew turned as his name was called out across sickbay. He looked over and saw Angeni calling to him. "Are you super busy at the moment, sir?" He shook his head as he headed over to her. “No not at the moment.” "I could use a bit of a hand over here if you have a moment." As he got closer he could see Na’vani standing on the bio-bed. "Na'vani...please come down from there. Let's talk..." "Hear me everyone, I need your attention!" As Andrew turned he saw bright orange flames starting to lick the ceiling near the doorway from the office he had just exited. He saw the burning woman had began to crawl from the office with her mouth open in a silent scream. ~Ow grate she is now following me~ He noticed Angeni stiffened up beside him and he glanced from the woman to her and back again. ~She can see it as well. That’s never happened before~ "This is not the first time I have encountered this phenomena...It wasn't in this sector of space or on this ship but on the Mystique with Vanyssa Winters." He pulled his eyes away from the burning woman and over to Riven as he continued to speak. "I can't shield the whole ship or even a deck but everyone here under the sound of my voice and in medical is under my influence as well as anyone else who comes in. For the time being consider this a Void free zone." Andrew nodded slightly as he took in what Riven was saying. "Even after you leave here or my strength wanes the effects will be lessened for a while but not forever. But it need not be confined to medical alone. I am going to contact other telepaths on the ship and together we can expand the protection. I can teach them to do the same in their areas of effect and so we can help more of the crew. In the meanwhile go about your duties and I'm afraid you will have to work around me." He watched as Riven went into a trance and heard Angeni speak to one of the medical team. "If anything goes south...I mean horribly south with his life signs...I don't care if you have to hit him with a 2x4, you bring him out. Roger that?" He took a long look around sickbay making sure that he had not forgotten anything and seeing if there was anything he needed to do but was satisfied that everything was under control. For the moment at least "What's up, Doc?" He turned to see Angeni extended a grey mug towards him which he took gratefully. “Well I’m not chasing any racially rabbits but I did need a fire extinguisher earlier.” "Do you want to call in more staff? I was thinking having overlapped shifts...it'll never leave The Bay with less than a full compliment. I was also thinking that we might need to let the Captain know just what we are facing. What do you think?" Andrew nodded. “Good idea. It also might be a good idea to get them within the free zone in case we need more help. It would not be good if sickbay went crazy.” (Reply Trommashere) He took a sip from the drink before he carried on. “I’ll give the captain the heads up.” He paused for a moment “Williams to Captain T’Vhor.” (Reply T’Vhor) “Sir it appears that the crew is experiencing hallucinations of various degree of severity. The longer we stay here the worse it will get. Dr Riven has managed to form some kind of telepathic barrier to reduce the effects in sickbay. He says that he is able to teach the other telepaths on board to do this as well.” (Reply T’Vhor) (Reply Trommashere, T’Vhor, any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACEO Ensign Jake Haltom and ACOUNS Dr. Riven Mias - 18:10) Riven had been here in sickbay long enough in the center of the storm, during this time he had been gently observing with both his mind and empathic sense the issues which had been ongoing as he had helped the medical crew calm the patients. He himself had been subject to very little issue, shrugging off with little attention what had been transpiring. And now it occured to him why and how. Because he had been through this before. Another time and another place. But it had been the same. And now it was time to act! NRPG: This may be heavy handed in some eyes, if anyone has issue with it just let me know and I'll yank out Riven's part in this scene. The thing is he has been in the center of just such an occurance in the past as I am about to make clear and found a way to mitigate many of its effects. The area of effect I am going to make small for obvious reasons. RPG: He stepped to the center of the room and raised his voice which rose above some but not all of the bedlam as his empathic abilities kicked into high gear. The healing crystals on his robe threw off a dazzling light to all whose heads turned toward him and gave him their attention . "Hear me everyone, I need your attention!" Jake snapped his eyes toward the mind healer as Dr. Mias stepped into his peripheral vision and spoke, he turned his head in shock to follow the man, he seemed to be glowing! His jaw went slack as he stopped his departure and turned to watch the unfolding tableau, his rapt attention on the mind healer. (Reply: Any in sickbay) Riven's voice captured more minds as he continued to speak and more eyes turned toward him and he wondered about the living ship they had encountered which had been created by the Ancients and given sentience as well as tremendous telepathic abilities. Had it's journeys at one time taken it through the Void? Was this sector of space possibly what had driven it insane? "This is not the first time I have encountered this phenomena." His voice grew and he saw the cringing woman standing on the biobed turn toward him, her eyes locked with his and were captured. "It wasn't in this sector of space or on this ship but on the Mystique with Vanyssa Winters." What he was saying wasn't important, only that he was speaking and that more and more here were listening. (Reply: Any in sickbay) "A sentient ship with tremendous telepathic power that had been driven insane at some point in its eons long existence and used its abilities against the away team that boarded her. Vanyssa and I found a way to shield the minds of those who were effected and I continued to do so as she battled it. It nearly destroyed her but she defeated it." The woman Angeni had called Na'vani lowered herself on the biobed and sat on its edge facing him, her eyes never leaving his face. Her eyes were now focused and lucid. Riven smiled at her and began looking about the room again as he continued to speak, his gaze encountering more and more eyes. (Reply: Any in sickbay) "I can't shield the whole ship or even a deck but everyone here under the sound of my voice and in medical is under my influence as well as anyone else who comes in. For the time being consider this a Void free zone." All tumult had died and the medic had been tended to as he was speaking. The Vulcan looked at him with a nod of respect and understanding. "I don't know how long I can keep this up, for two or three; possibly even four hours or a bit longer but during that time all here are protected." He smiled in satifaction, he had all of their attentions now. (Reply: Any in sickbay) "Even after you leave here or my strength wanes the effects will be lessened for a while but not forever." His voice took on a fatherly tone. "But it need not be confined to medical alone. I am going to contact other telepaths on the ship and together we can expand the protection. I can teach them to do the same in their areas of effect and so we can help more of the crew." He moved to a chair and sat in it. "In the meanwhile go about your duties and I'm afraid you will have to work around me." His eyes closed and he dropped quickly into a deep meditative state, with it he could conserve his energy so that he could keep up the zone of protection longer. He would hear no voices during this time nor was there any way to rouse him short of striking him but he would be available to any telepathic minds. (Reply: any in sickbay) ::Captain T'Vhor, Michaella, Ellie, Kindell. I have experience with this sort of phenomena and am maintaining a zone of protection in sickbay for all those who are brought here. I can teach you to shield those in your immediate vicinity and you will be able to teach other telepaths as well.:: (Reply: T'Vhor, Michaella, Ellie, Kindell) Room for more. Jake shook his head slightly as the spell Riven had woven over Medical with his words released him, he looked about in wonder. Everything here had changed completely, in place of bedlam there was quiet and everyone else not Vulcan seemed to be smiling. He turned and walked through the doors of sickbay having forgotten for the moment about the devices Angeni had placed behind his ears. (Reply: Any) (Posted by Charles) (USS Spectre - Bridge – CO, Captain T'Vhor - 18:11) At approximately 300,000 kilometres further in, the Captain made note of another marker bouy having just been launched. This of course was to be their bread crumb trail out of the void should they find themselves sensor impaired and need to find their way out again. By now, the diligence of the tactical officer had acquired another faint contact and this was once again assumed to be the ejected warp core, which was registering similar readings as before on their sensors. The Captain then gave the order to set a new course to the new coordinates whilst verifying their signal lock on the previous marker bouy. Just to be sure... "Steady as she goes", said the Captain, "ahead, two thirds impulse" (Reply Helm) It was then that the ship shook just slightly, the inertial dampers compensating for the shunt to keep everyone from slamming into the bulkheads, a call coming in from Sickbay at almost the same time to remind him that already, strange things had begun to occur throughout the ship. There had been a few injuries also but regardless, it was imperative that they find the Garallon at all costs. =/\=Williams to Captain T'Vhor=/\= "Go ahead Doctor", said the Captain, hoping that no further injuries had just occured in the last tremor they had experienced. =/\=Sir it appears that the crew is experiencing hallucinations of various degree of severity. The longer we stay here the worse it will get. Dr Riven has managed to form some kind of telepathic barrier to reduce the effects in sickbay. He says that he is able to teach the other telepaths on board to do this as well.=/\= T'Vhor pondered that briefly. It was impossible of course to move everyone to sickbay, and if they withdrew now then they would only have to formulate another plan to come in again later. Riven's offer of a kind of telepathic chained relay seemed to be the only logical option here. T'Vhor knew that it might be dangerous to the man himself of course, so many minds at one time but what choice did they have? With a solid resolve, he answered the Doctor. "Have Doctor Riven do what he can to extend the telepathic field", said the Captain, "if we can move our most sensitive telepaths to the furthest extents of the ship, then we can vastly improve the efficacy of the plan" (Reply Williams) "Be sure to monitor Dr Riven's vital signs at all times. The moment he shows any sign of not being able to cope, or that his life might be in danger, I want you to sever the telepathic link immediately", said the Captain. (Reply Williams) The Captain then returned to the task of navigating the ship to the sensor contact, still hoping that its own trail would lead them to the stricken Garallon. As the ship moved on though, T'Vhor became aware of the voice in his mind. It was Riven. Riven was now in contact with him! ::Captain T'Vhor, Michaella, Ellie, Kindell. I have experience with this sort of phenomena and am maintaining a zone of protection in sickbay for all those who are brought here. I can teach you to shield those in your immediate vicinity and you will be able to teach other telepaths as well.:: T'Vhor nodded in response, and then with his mind alone, he answered. ::I am ready, Dr Riven:: (Reply Riven) (Reply Helm, Williams, Riven, Any) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre - Sickbay - ACMO Ens. A.O. Windsong-Trommashere - 18:11) Angeni was about to climb atop the biobed and physically hold Na'vani down when she heard Riven's voice. She had completely forgotten he was there! "Hear me everyone, I need your attention!" Angeni turned around. She saw bright orange flames starting to lick the ceiling near the doorway from the office. She couldn't smell anything, but she kept looking. A woman who was burned all over her body began to crawl from the office, reaching towards her, her mouth open in a silent scream. Angeni stiffened up and she tore her eyes away from the scene to stare at Riven. "This is not the first time I have encountered this phenomena...It wasn't in this sector of space or on this ship but on the Mystique with Vanyssa Winters." Angeni's eyes grew wide. That was right! She had completely forgotten about the mental prion that had infected the ship. She had experienced night terrors of that time from that moment forward. She continued to listen to Riven. "I can't shield the whole ship or even a deck but everyone here under the sound of my voice and in medical is under my influence as well as anyone else who comes in. For the time being consider this a Void free zone." For the first time in several hours, a broad smile found its way to her lips. She looked at Riven with a look of relief and adoration. As far as she was concerned, he was her Knight in shining robes. "Even after you leave here or my strength wanes the effects will be lessened for a while but not forever. But it need not be confined to medical alone. I am going to contact other telepaths on the ship and together we can expand the protection. I can teach them to do the same in their areas of effect and so we can help more of the crew. In the meanwhile go about your duties and I'm afraid you will have to work around me." Angeni watched him quietly and noticed how his breathing began to slow and she waited a few beats longer. She moved around him, grabbing a monitoring sensor from the drawer. She reached over and gently placed it on the back of his hand. Behind her, the wall lit up, showing his life signs. She grabbed a Medic, pulling him off to the side, her voice low but firm. "If anything goes south...I mean horribly south with his life signs...I don't care if you have to hit him with a 2x4, you bring him out. Roger that?" The Medic just nodded at her. She rubbed her face, still exhausted as all get out but mentally she was sound. She walked over to Na'vani and the good doctor gave her enough of a sedative to let her sleep for a few hours. She helped the injured Medic up from the floor and she sat him on a biobed. Wordlessly, she ran the dermal regenerator over his wound. She gave him a once over, then she gently patted his shoulder. "Take a break. Go lay down for a few minutes." The Medic nodded and he walked away. She turned toward the door to see if Jake was still there, but he was gone. She walked into her office and within moments, she had two mugs of Jasmine tea made. She took her blue mug and she went over to Dr. Williams, a small smile on her face. "What's up, Doc?" She took a sip from her mug and she extended a grey mug to her partner in arms. (Reply Williams) Angeni nodded. "Do you want to call in more staff? I was thinking having overlapped shifts...it'll never leave The Bay with less than a full compliment. I was also thinking that we might need to let the Captain know just what we are facing. What do you think?" (Reply Williams) (Posted by Kari) (USS Spectre - Deck 13, Main Engineering - ACEO, Ensign Jake Haltom - 18:20) Jake walked once more into Engineering and made for the Tellerite manning the console. "All right Gork I'm back, thank you for covering for me." The Tellerite nodded but didn't move from the console and he hadn't meant to dislodge her anyway. Jake sipped the swizzle which was still piping hot and looked around for a bit, just working to get back into the flow of what was going on in Engineering. "So tell me," He began. "Why don't you seem to be a nervous wreck like most of the people here?" There was a screech of fear elsewhere on the deck as if to counterpoint his question. Gork turned slightly toward him and shrugged. "It's not like it's not affecting me. We Tellerites are the closest civilization to the Void after all and though we prefer to stay away from it there have been some theories set forward on how to cut down on its affects." Jake's eyes widened a bit. "So you ARE being affected then?" "Of course," She turned and looked at him as she crooked her neck. "Take the Bloatfly that's sitting on your shoulder for example. It's eight inches in diameter and stands about ten inches tall. It's a vibrant reddish pink with compound eyes and a probiscus half as long as it is tall which is tipped by protruding teeth used for biting into its prey so that it can drink their blood." Jake had the sudden urge to brush his shoulder and his right hand twitched on the mug. ~It's not real.~ He repeated to himself several times. She turned back to the console and he had a sudden suspicion. "You were joking with me weren't you?" Still while she was turned away he transferred the mug to his left hand and brushed his left shoulder in irritation. There was amusement in her voice as she replied. "If I were lying to you I certainly wouldn't admit it." "So are you being affected or not?" "Yes." She turned toward him in irritation. "I told you I am, I'm just using a method for relaxing is all which is one of those theories I mentioned. It keeps the visions from getting out of hand." "And what is that?" He asked with interest. "Popskull." She grinned. That had to be a slang term rather than a common name. He started then frowned. "You're drinking on the job?" Gork chuckled. "Guilty." At his shocked look she added. "Just enough to make me tipsy you understand, I'm not about to get drunk on duty. Unless of course it's necessary." She added slyly. He swallowed hard. "That's rather unconventional Gork, you know Starfleet frowns on that type of thing." He had forced some sterness into his voice. She shrugged. "Then report me to the chief, take me off duty, confine me to my room or the brig or throw me out an airlock for all I care. If you were privy to some of the things I've seen you might understand why I've dipped into my stash." Jake looked around, he hadn't seen her drinking anything and had no idea where she might be hiding it. And needless to say after what he had seen from some of the crew in medical who was he to say what was wrong in dealing with this area of space if it was working for her. Now if it effected her work that was another thing. "And what about you?" The Tellerite asked him. "What have you been seeing?" "Seeing, hearing and tasting." Jake said and nodded at her questioning look. "Quite a bit I guess. A lot of stuff I've encountered on the holodeck." "The holodeck?" Gork nearly shouted the question. "You've been seeing, hearing and tasting things from the holodeck? Are you telling me you have no horrific experiences from your past for the Void to draw from to terrify you?" He shook his head blankly. "Not that I can think of." "No mutilated friends or enemies? No terrifying holovids? No dead relatives to haunt your steps?" Her face was inches from his as she spat out the words. "Are you trying to tell me that you are a complete innocent or moron enough to not know what to be terrified of?" He backed up a step as he shook his head, the hand holding the swizzle coming up between them. "My parents and sister are alive, I'm not into horror flicks and I was too young to remember the passing of any of my relatives I guess." "What a novelty!" Gork spat. "I have never heard of someone with such a high tolerance for the Void! And you walked up to medical to whine about your experinces with the Void over some holodeck excursions?" "I thought it was from the drugs." He was starting to get angry and lowered the mug as he stepped forward until his chest bumped into hers. "And you said nothing to dissuade me from that idea!" Gork laughed suddenly in his face. "Who am I to burst such an innocent bubble? I let you find out your error on your own." She then grinned and turned away from him then turned back suddenly. "This has to do with the Aetherium Forge you mentioned earlier?" "Not directly." Her amusement had deflated his ire a bit. "But it comes from the same source." Gork laughed again. "Have you defeated these enemies?" "Yes I have." "Then in my opinion you have little to worry about." The Tellerite turned back to her console. "You can laugh at the phantasms because you know they have no power over you, all they can do is distract you though if we stay here long enough you may find yourself in that fantasy world with little or no understanding of what is real and what is not." He nodded. A nearby technician screamed and cowered at something she was seeing, without much thought Jake rushed to her and took her shoulders and shook her till he had her attention and her lucidity had returned. "Are you all right?" "For now," She said shakily as she stood back to her feet. "Stand still." He barely hesitated before reaching behind his ears and pulling the devices Angeni had affixed there from his head and placed them behind her ears where they sealed themselves to her skin. At her questioning look he winked. "Those will help I think, the doctor who gave them to me believes so and I haven't heard or seen anything since I put them on. Keep me informed, I want to know if the effect from them starts to fade." "Thanks." She said shakily and at his nod she returned to work. When he returned to Gork she looked at him with amusement in her eyes. "So you're ready to face your holodeck demons I take it?" Jake' face took on the look the Harbinger habitually wore. "Bring 'em on." He grated and gave a wolfish grin. (Reply: any) (Posted by Charles) =====================================================================