NRPG:

Compile Index:

Day 182

(Earth – nearest spaceport to Starfleet Academy – Ensign JG Lanista – Day 182 – 1000)
(In transit – several different shuttles – Ensign JG Lanista – Day 182-183)

Day 183

(Okona’s ship, the Erstwhile II – Ensign JG Laanista – Day 183 – 1500)
(USS Dennison – Deck 23 – Ensign JG Lanista – Day 183 – 1500)
(USS Dennison – Deck Two – Outside the he First Officer's office – Ensign JG Lanista – 1502)
(USS Dennison – Deck Two –First Officer's office –Commander Trevan West – 1503)
(USS Dennison – Deck Two – First Officer’s Office ce – Ensign Lanista – 1504)
(USS Dennison – Deck 10 – Sickbay – En€“ Ensign Lanista – 1515)
(USS Dennison – Deck 10 – Sickbay – Ensign Lanista – 1517)

Day 184

(USS Dennison - Shrekt's Office - TAC/SC Lt (sg) Joan Shrekt - 0954)

Day 185

(Maltoria - Warehouse - Security Officer Crewman Abu Nighy - 1925)
(Maltoria- First Ministers Office, First Minister Aleth-1935)
(USS Dennison – Bridge – CMO Dr Lewis Nymes – 1936)
(Dennison – Deck 23 – Ensign Lanista – 1940)
(USS Dennison - Bridge - TAC/SC Lt (sg) Joan Shrekt - 1940)
(Dennison – Bridge – Ensign Lanista –1955)
(USS Dennison - Stellar Cartography - SO Raymond Masterson - 2010)
(USS Dennison - Ten Forward - SO Carl Masterson - 2015)
(Maltoria- Power Station- CSO/2O Dale Bracken- 2145)
(Maltoria, Power Station, Ensign jg Sanok, 2146)
(Maltoria- Power Station- ATac Ensign (jg) Ben Soma- 2149)
(Maltoria- Power Station- ATac Ensign (jg) Ben Soma- 2155)
(Maltoria- Power Station- Commander Trevan West - 2200)
(Maltoria- Power Station- ATac Ensign (jg) Ben Soma-2205)
(Maltoria - Power Station - Security Officer Crewman Abu Nighy - 2206)

RPG:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Healer in the Tower
Stardate: 2408.01.07
Day: 182
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

(Earth – nearest spaceport to Starfleet Academy – Ensign JG Lanista – Day 182 – 1000)

Ensign Junior Grade ‘Lanista’ (tlha’nISta’ in the language she’d grown up using most, or T’srashiva in Vulcan – which meant roughly the same thing) had been directed by Admiral Jopek to report to the USS Dennison by shuttle.  Lanista was not the sort of officer to disobey a direct order from someone who had more bits of metal on his collar than she did. However, as the situation unfolded, the Dennison was in a region of space many pilots considered somewhat remote.

Lanista, however, enjoyed being in circumstances that required innovative solutions. The Ensign contacted a few traders with whom her family had done business in the past – a couple of Ferengi, an Orion ‘entrepreneur’, and a Human gentleman by the name of Captain Thaduin Okona.

(In transit – several different shuttles – Ensign JG Lanista – Day 182-183)

After arranging passage with each of these in turn (and parting with some latinum and a bottle of bloodwine), Ensign (JG) Lanista reached her destination.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Healer in the Tower
Stardate: 2408.01.08
Day: 183
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

(Okona’s ship, the Erstwhile II – Ensign JG Laanista – Day 183 – 1500)

The Erstwhile was cleared to dock with a port on Deck 23 of the Dennison. Lanista gathered her personal belongings (one heavy satchel in each hand, and a large case for her weapons slung over her back) and left the smaller craft in favor of the starship.

(USS Dennison – Deck 23 – Ensign JG Lanista – Day 183 – 1500)

Deck 23 looked to be under-utilized. Barely aboard, Lanista liked this starship already. The ceiling-over-deck was also higher than on her father’s privateer vessel. At 2.25 meters, the Klingon-Vulcan hybrid had rarely been able to stand fully upright aboard the Chalche’. While Klingons do not prize comfort as much as other species, Lanista had never seen the sense in sacrificing good posture on the altar of honor and glory. ~Yes, the accommodations here would be much more … accommodating..~

As she made her way from the docking port toward the nearest turbolift, Lanista continued her assessment of Deck 23. ~A perfect place for an exocomp workbay … and an industrial replicator.~

Lanista was intent on reporting for duty, stowing her things, and getting down to the business of fixing this starship – whatever might be ‘wrong’ with it remained to be discovered. The Ensign used the turbolift to make for ‘Officer Country.’

(USS Dennison – Deck Two – Outside the he First Officer's office – Ensign JG Lanista – 1502)

Lanista activated the attention signal and waited. Remembering her recent experiences at the Academy, it seemed she had rung an awful lot of doorbells lately.

~I will soon have my own office, and people will have to wait for me.~ She had not so much been promised this as she believed she deserved it.

(Reply any.)
(Posted by Frank Truelove.)

(USS Dennison – Deck Two –First Officer's office –Commander Trevan West – 1503)

Trevan was waiting patiently in his officer for Ensign Lanista when the door chime rang, "Come in please," he said and the door opened to reveal Lanista.

Trevan rose out of his seat to greet her, "Have a seat Ensign, and welcome aboard the USS Dennison. I am Commander Trevan West ship's First Officer."

(reply Lanista)

Trevan sat back at the desk and pulled out the standard duty roster for the ship and thumbed through the screens for a moment before speaking. He was looking for a good time for the Ensign to get to work, "Looks like you will be on Gamma shift to start. This is usually late night and early morning work. I will let you get acquainted with our Engine Room and all the bells and whistles that come with it," he said with a smile.

"You will have your hands full down there, but there is a great engineering staff to help you out. We have just finished a complete overhaul from some shoddy repair work done on Callisto. I have forwarded the reports to your new quarters and please feel free to look at them."

Again Trevan placed the PADD on the front of the desk in the stack of other such reports, making a mental note to tidy up a bit when the Ensign left the room.

"Do you have any questions or comments Ensign?" he asked.

(reply Lanista)

Trevan nodded in agreement and then gave her the usual speech about duty and serving aboard the Dennison and what that entails. It wasn't anything new, it was the same speech given at his own academy graduation and it was so good that he decided to keep it for himself. "Any problems you report to me and I will deal with them, that is my job. Your orders for the moment," he said leaning back in his chair, "are to familiarize yourself with the Dennison, her crew and equipment, do any minor repair work that is listed on the duty roster in Engineering. I will arrange for Lt. Alosar, our ship's counselor to meet with you and the Doctor."

These were normal things to happen on a starship when new crew came aboard, "I believe Doctor Nymes is expecting you within the hour. So that would be my starting point and at some time in the next day I will introduce you to the senior staff and fill you in on anything new for our upcoming mission."

Standing up he met her gaze, stuck out his hand and smiled, "Again, welcome aboard the Dennison Ensign.

(Reply Lanista)
(posted by Kerry Fletcher)

(USS Dennison – Deck Two – First Officer’s Office ce – Ensign Lanista – 1504)

Trevan had said, "Have a seat Ensign, and welcome aboard the USS Dennison,”¯ and introduced himself.

“Thank you, sir. Good to be aboard, finally. I’ve had my fill of Admirals lately,” Lanista said with a smile – but one that showed no teeth. She had, as someone had once called them, perfect Vulcan teeth and she was, frankly, ashamed of them. Hers was the dentition of an herbivore and she had several times thought about seeking out a Klingon dentist to give her a few good whacks at the gumline with a wrench.

West had told her “We have just finished a complete overhaul from some shoddy repair work done on Callisto." The Ship’s XO then asked "Do you have any questions or comments Ensign?"

“Sir, I excel at fixing up after someone else’s shoddy repair work, and I’m somewhat familiar with Callisto.

After the human officer mentioned Doctor Nymes and then welcomed Lanista aboard again, the Ensign reminded herself that humans were redundant in the name of pleasantry. Whether she listened as a Klingon or as a Vulcan, she heard the second welcome as wasteful – or at the very least, inefficient.

“I will stow my gear, then check in at Sickbay,”¯ she said.

Assuming she’d been dismissed, she exited. The Ensign went to do exactly what she had said – stow her gear then check in with the Doctor. The prospect of seeing the Ship’s Counselor later didn’t much appeal to Lanista.

(USS Dennison – Deck 10 – Sickbay – En€“ Ensign Lanista – 1515)

~Formalities…~ she caught herself thinking disapprovinngly as she entered Sickbay in search of Nymes.

(Reply any)
(Posted by Frank T.)

(USS Dennison – Deck 10 – Sickbay – Ensign Lanista – 1517)

While Lanista waited for Nymes, or anyone in the Medical Department, she pondered improvements that might be made to the equipment here. After idly picking up and examing a few instruments with which she was at least a little familiar, the Ensign hit on a modification that might really make an impact.

Federation law made accelerated critical neural pathway formation illegal. But as far as Lanista knew that restriction only applied to use with lifeforms...

"Computer, would ACNPF be unacceptable in Starfleet if used with Bio-Neural Gel-Packs?" Lanista said. To her reasoning, BNGPs weren't alive. accelerated neural pathway formation could hardly be genetic engineering if used this way. And, if it worked, the resultant increase in computer core efficiency could be considerable.

(Reply Computer, Nymes, any)
(Posted by Frank T.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Healer in the Tower
Stardate: 2408.01.09
Day: 184
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

(USS Dennison - Shrekt's Office - TAC/SC Lt (sg) Joan Shrekt - 0954)

Once they had entered Shrekt's office, she offered Bracken as a seat before taking her own behind her desk.  As they sat, Bracken asked, "Tell me Lieutenant, what do you make of this Maltorian business?"

Shrekt looked at the officer across from her desk and said, "It is a troubling thing."

Still unsure of what to say to this relative stranger, but Shrekt took the chance, as it was not as though it could hurt her career anymore than she had already.  "But we go where we are ordered and execute our duty to the best of our ability.  I do not care for the source of our data and the confusing briefing in which it was delivered.  I feel we are going in with one hand tied behind our back and blinders fitted on our heads.  The Captain says we need friends now more than ever and that they extended the invitation to us, then we should go in good faith.  But I still do not like it." Shrekt admitted.

(Reply Bracken)

"Now to this spy business," said Shrekt, as she picked up a padd to begin taking notes as needed.  "What measures, if any, are currently in place?"

(Reply Bracken)

(Reply Bracken, Any)
(posted by Kaweo Kanoho)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Healer in the Tower
Stardate: 2408.01.10
Day: 185
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

(Maltoria - Warehouse - Security Officer Crewman Abu Nighy - 1925)

Abu listened hard to what the lieutenant was saying.  "You know my mother is the Marine XO?" asked the lieutenant.

Abu nodded, while the lieutenant continued, "You know that she was a screw up at school, and joined the corps as a boot at 16?"

"No, I hadn't, Sir." replied Abu, trying to keep the surprise from his face and voice and utterly failing.

The lieutenant continued, trying to be encouraging.  Abu studied her face, trying to show he understood what she was saying and that he would do his best.  When she finished, he replied, "I understand."

He smiled back at her, hoping to show some measure of courage.

(Maltoria- First Ministers Office, First Minister Aleth-1935)

The Minister was losing his patience with the lack of communication with the Starship currently in orbit but decided to give it one last try.

"Federation Ship, this is First Minister Aleth. We have yet to receive your party, is there a problem with your transporter?" he said hoping someone would answer.

As he waited, he browsed the day’s files and his own schedule to make sure nothing else was going to surprise him.

(reply Bridge)
(Posted by Kerry Fletcher)

(USS Dennison – Bridge – CMO Dr Lewis Nymes – 1936)

=/\= Federation Ship, this is First Minister Aleth. We have yet to receive your party, is there a problem with your transporter?=/\=

Nymes looked across to the Tac/Sec and nodded. This communication would set the scene for the rest of the mission. The fact that the away team had all but disappeared led the trill to think of a few possibilities; that they had been part of a rare, but feasible transporter accident; that they had been abducted and held by the Minister or parties unknown.

~heaven knows that we know little to nothing of these folk~ he thought, but he, at least, had some semblance to a memory, which might be valuable in the future.

“First Minister, this is Doctor Nymes of the Dennison. My captain has asked me to be his diplomatic liaison between our ship and your office, if that is acceptable?” Nymes asked, rhetorically.

“As for our Away Team, we are currently trying to locate them, but initial attempts have been unfruitful. We know that they were sent to the coordinates supplied by your office, but it seems like they have not arrived. We would appreciate your assistance in finding our crewmembers, First Minister.”

(reply Aleth)

“Of course, first minister, we will keep you apprised of our progress. Elethas Sincoor.” Nymes finished the broadcast with a tidbit of the formal language, hoping to show the Minister that the Dennison, at least, was sincere in its attempt to get to know the Maltorian culture correctly.

(reply Aleth, AND any on BRIDGE)

“Well, we have some time, sir.” Nymes said, as he relinquished the central rostrum to the TAC/Sec. “Is there anything else you would like me to do?”

(reply any)
(posted by GC)

(Dennison – Deck 23 – Ensign Lanista – 1940)

~Human laws make no sense,~ Lanista thought.

The computer had confirmed her suspicion that while Accelerated Neural Pathway Formation (ANPF) was illegal if used as genetic engineering, it would be perfectly acceptable if applied to inanimate and non-sentient ship’s systems. A pure example of Human double-speak – in Lanista’s Klingon/Vulcan opinion.

As she worked on the “ANPF Deck” – the heretofore under-utilized Deck 23 – Lanista continued to muse about the Human duplicity regarding eugenics. The ban on such procedures, of course, was based on the Earth’s 20th-Century Eugenics Wars, which had occurred over 400 years ago! In Lanista’s view, though, genetic manipulation was a way of taking control of the direction in which one’s species evolved. Humans seemed fascinated by superior beings while at the same time appeared to dread being superior beings themselves. The Federation’s Prime Directive, in fact, prohibited interfering with the evolution of another species. Yet Humans, though clearly capable of guiding their own development, restrained themselves from evolving in a manner of their own choosing.

Lanista busied herself physically with building a micro-computer core that would serve and the central control for the ANPF project. Deck 23 was large enough for this core – which would have fit easily into a Shuttlepod – plus a modest-sized industrial-quality replicator, and an exocomp work area. The exocomps would be needed to perform the actual pathway formation in the gel packs. Lanista did not expect she would be permitted to pull personnel off their normal duties to participate in an experiment. She was herself engaging in this activity time-permitting.

Exocomps were considered sentient artificial lifeforms, at least by some. To Lanista, however, they could be built without the capacity to become sentient. And hers would be until and unless the Dennison’s senior staff wanted them to be able to perform more duties aboard than just the ANPF work.

~Calling a machine a lifeform – how perfectly idiotic!~ the Ensign tthought. “Next they’ll be giving holograms seats on the Federation Council!”¯ she added aloud.

“Survival of the fittest, I suppose,”¯ said Crewman Pelorus, who had arrived with gel packs from storage. Lanista had asked him to bring some. She’d earlier shared some of her views on artificial life with Pelorus.

“Herbert Spencer,” Lanista observed.

“No,” Pelorus countered. “Charles Darwin.”¯

“Not Charles Darwin. The term does not appear in “On the Origin of Species.” Lanista wanted to continue to argue. She hadn’t been in a decent fight since before she enrolled in the Academy. However, she had normal duties elsewhere. “Take over here, Pelorus,” she said, sneering a little at him as she left Deck 23.

While heading to her next project, Lanista thought about the ANPF. In 2348, resequencing procedures such as those performed on Adigeon Prime could cause an increase in IQ in a humanoid of 70 points or more in 2 weeks. If the ship’s computer core could be made to exhibit a similar increase, that might help in solving the present quandary the Dennison faced.

(USS Dennison - Bridge - TAC/SC Lt (sg) Joan Shrekt - 1940)

Shrekt sat uncomfortably in the center seat, as she listened to the exchange between the doctor and the planet's contact.  She nodded as the doctor spoke, hoping that the Maltorians would not be put off by being spoken to by someone other than the captain.  While the ranking officer on the deck, Shrekt felt the Maltorians would react better to a man, regardless of her rank.

Once the connection had been ended, Nymes turned to her and said, "Well, we have some time, sir.  Is there anything else you would like me to do?"

"Thank you, Doctor.  Could you request permission from the planet for us to use our shuttles to search for the away team?  Then see to the Captain.  He is your number one priority." said Shrekt, as she looked at the main viewer.  "Keep me regularly updated.  In the meantime, Ensign Night would you and Ensign Simmons prepare our shuttles for this mission.  Ensign tlha'nISta', assist I would like you to assist them in outfitting the shuttles with a stronger sensor suite so that we may get better readings than what we are getting from the Dennison's sensors."

(Reply Nymes, Night, tlha'nlSta)

Shrekt sat back and contemplated what the captain would want them to do now.

A scant few minutes passed before the security station reported a dust up in ten forward with Lieutenant Darsons.

~Darsons.  Wasn't she restricted to quarters?~ wondered Shrekt,

"Ensign Coleman, get a security team and detain her.  Let me know when you have her." said Shrekt.

(Reply Nymes, Night, tlha'nISta, Coleman, Simmons, Any)
(posted by Kaweo Kanoho)

(Dennison – Bridge – Ensign Lanista –1955)

Lanista moved to the Engineering Station on the Bridge after handing whomever presently had the comm a PADD regarding the projections and progress on the ANPF effort.

(Reply any, as appropriate)
(Posted by Frank Truelove)

(USS Dennison - Stellar Cartography - SO Raymond Masterson - 2010)

Ray was in a foul mood after dinner.  His brother had been utterly useless and now he was going back to work on sensors that weren't working properly. He didn't even know what the actual problem was, as he didn't really pay attention to things outside his own experiments.  His mind was caught up in his own thoughts when he stalked into Stellar Cartography and headed straight to his console to begin his work anew.

However, he was finding it difficult to focus due to strange noises.

~What the?!?~ he thought, as he turned to search for the source of the disrupting sounds.  His eyes and ears scanned the room and lead him to behind one of the consoles to find two of his colleagues engaging in a physical activity that was not generally considered for public viewing.

"What are you doing?!?" he shouted!  "We have work to do!  Can't you keep your jumpsuits on until after we're done here?!?  There are things I would rather be doing than this too!"

Ray shook with fury as he was completely ignored.

"HELLO!" he shouted again, at the blue couple below.

~Are they deaf?~ he wondered momentarily, being unfamiliar with Bolian or Andorian mating practices.  ~Perhaps their other senses are diminished somehow.~

Ray contemplated observing their activity further for purely scientific purposes, but after a time grew bored and returned to his station.

The sooner the sensors got back on-line, the sooner he could return to his work.

(USS Dennison - Ten Forward - SO Carl Masterson - 2015)

Carl was playing cards and shooting the breeze with some crewmates, enjoying his evening.  They were talking about the bizarre incident with the lieutenant who attacked someone earlier.  The medical team had just left and Carl had offered to help them, but they said they had it under control.  Ten Forward seemed louder than usual and Carl was having an increasing difficult time conversing.

~What a bizarre time for everyone to be enjoying themselves,~ wondered Carl, as he looked out the viewports, contemplating how the mission was going.

Not much was known yet, but scuttlebutt was that however they got here had damaged some of the ship systems, but Carl wasn't sure what systems or how badly.  But it couldn't be that bad.

(Reply Any)
(posted by Kaweo Kanoho)

(Maltoria- Power Station- CSO/2O Dale Bracken- 2145)

"Teams of two, look at everything and see if you can get an idea on the layout of this place, and possibly anything that looks like a communication terminal."

Dale nodded, “Sanok, with me” she commanded, “Standard two man pattern, keep them peeled, I want no surprises.”

(Reply Sanok)

The moment was nudging Dales mind again, her natural defense against nervousness was humour, something she realised that her Vulcan colleague might not appreciate, but a fact she decided to ignore. “Question is Mr Sanok, if you were a communications array, where would you be?”

(Reply Sanok)

“Exactly what i thought. Corridor seems to lead this way, could be some stairs down here.”

(Reply Sanok iyw)

They took the few paces down the corridor, which eventually lead to a set of stairs, very similar in construction to the ones back in the warehouse. Slowly, they made their way up, step by step, reaching another door the other side.

“Sanok, I’ve got something, massive EM field the other side of this door, no trace of hazards to either of us. We need to check this out.”

(Reply Sanok)
(Posted by Mark)

(Maltoria, Power Station, Ensign jg Sanok, 2146)

Bracken said, "Sanok, with me.  Standard two-man pattern. Keep them peeled.  I want no surprises."

"Yes, sir," said Sanok with a nod.  He took the lead and began moving cautiously down the corridor.  After a few moments, Bracken spoke again.  Sanok perceived her comment to be an attempt at humor to alleviate a possible sense of nervousness.  He was grateful he had spent most of his life with his emotions.  Though he had purged them recently during their long leave after the final battle of the war, he still remembered how certain things felt.  It helped him to better understand other races.

"Question is, Mr. Sanok, if you were a communications array, where would you be?"

"I would be in the place that would allow myself to have the greatest range," said Sanok.  "Some place high."

"Exactly what I thought," said Bracken.  "Corridor seems to lead this way.  Could be some stairs down here."

Continuing, they found a set of stairs leading upwards. Ascending cautiously, they stopped at a door.

"Sanok, I’ve got something," said Bracken after conducting a scan.  "Massive EM field the other side of this door.  No trace of hazards to either of us.  We need to check this out."

Sanok didn't like the results of the scan.  It said they weren't in danger, but that could have been a false reading caused by the EM field.  The door itself could also have prevented an accurate scan.  No, he didn't like this at all.

"Sir, my recommendation is, that we not go beyond this door," said Sanok.  "I know we're searching for answers, but your tricorder may not have given an accurate scan because of the EM field.  We may actually be in danger, if we entered.  Perhaps one of the others discovered something. Perhaps we should report our findings before continuing."

(Reply Bracken)
(Posted by Bob)

(Maltoria- Power Station- ATac Ensign (jg) Ben Soma- 2149)

West nodded, "You're right, they probably have but inform them anyway." he said looking down at the screen in front of him.

Ben looked at the displays in front of him. The information was beginning to translate nicely. He was about to relay the hint when Commander West spoke, so Ben waited his turn.

 "West to Away Team," he said into his badge, "Inform me if you find anything that looks remotely like a communication device."

When West had finished Ben added, " Try using your tricorders to translate the data you are seeing, link up to a data port and run the translation software. Commander West and I are a doing just that right now, so far we've found a database that should prove to be useful once we translate the keyboard that is."

Ben continued watching the tricorder unravel the data blocks on the screens in front of him. The most promising information so far was the database, once the keyboard was translated they could find out where they were and where the First Ministers office was. With a little luck one of the other teams would find a communication terminal and they would be able to reestablish contact with the Dennison and find out what had happened.

Ben gave a small chuckle and said, "At least we're not choking on dust." Thinking about the last building they found themselves in.

(reply any)
(posted by Milo Young)

(Maltoria- Power Station- ATac Ensign (jg) Ben Soma- 2155)

Ben watched as the screens in front of him were being translated from Maltorian to Federation standard. The information scrolling on the screens was easier to read now, most if the data had been translated. He read over the power and supply/usage screens and realized a lot of power was being routed through the building. One of the screens even showed the power for the fence they had just bypassed, there were some minor fluctuations but they were within tolerance. At least that had worked to their advantage, about time something on this mixed up mission went their way.

The data base was now translated but the interface for using it was another story, the translation software had only been able to translate twenty five percent of it so far, not nearly enough for them to make use of the data base. Ben turned his attention to that screen and reviewed what was on display there. Mostly it was information about the location of the building which was roughly the centre of town, other information displayed described the buildings purpose to some extent. It seemed this was a multipurpose installation used for data transfer, communications relay and power monitoring. But without the interface he was unable to determine what console if any was connected to the communications network, it was a possibility that it was only a relay station but he found that hard to believe. Somewhere in this building there had to be a communications terminal they could use to contact someone and figure out what happened.

Turning his attention back to his tricorder he wished there was someway he could speed up the process somehow. He knew the tricorder was working as fast as it could to translate the interface which now stood at thirty percent completion. The rest of the away team was busy searching the rest of the building for the communications equipment and he hoped they found something soon. Ben didn't like not being in control, and so far they had lost all control of this mission, they never ended up where they were supposed to, the public broadcast probably had everyone who was capable out looking for them and the dampening field interfered with their own scanning and communications attempts. Life forms only registered at point blank range, by the time they detected anything it was already on top of them.

Looking back at the display Ben now saw that forty percent of the interface had been translated, slow going but at least it was progress. Unless they accidentally triggered some alarm it was unlikely they would be discovered inside the building. They had had a few close calls but they had handled everything with skill, for the most part and what Ben called dumb luck for the rest. Using stones to distract the Maltorian's had worked, it even worked twice, but it was something that had not been covered in any of his academy classes. Then he assumed those classes never exactly had their present situation in mind.

Forty five percent translated, not exactly the fastest process in the world but it was working. Glancing at a chronometer he saw that ten minutes had passed and figured that it was probably not such a long process after all, it just seemed that way when you were waiting and twiddling your thumbs.

"Commander, we have," Ben glanced at the display again to check the progress of the translation, "forty eight percent of the interface translated for the data base. Estimate another six or seven minutes until we can use it."

(reply West/Any)
(posted by Milo Young)

(Maltoria- Power Station- Commander Trevan West - 2200)

"Commander, we have," Ben glanced at the display again to check the progress of the translation, "forty eight percent of the interface translated for the data base. Estimate another six or seven minutes until we can use it."

Trevan had not been looking at the time, he had been trying, unsuccessfully, to move his way through the main database. ~Six minutes~ he thought, ~we can last six minutes. In the meantime let’s see what else I can get~

Tapping a few panels, Trevan managed to access some minor directory that didn't contain anything of relevance to their mission at hand. It was just a log entry, in text, from the last person to use the console which was about a month ago. ~I would never let a system go that long without inspections~

Giving up trying, West moved a little closer to the last monitor which was actually blank at the moment. Wondering what it was supposed to be showing made his mind come up with about a thousand things, none of which helped them.

Looking around the rear of the unit, he could see it was disconnected, with the wires just lying out on the floor. Raising an eyebrow, something he picked up from Alosar, Trevan took the wires and reconnected them to the monitor.

Instantly the monitor burst with light and then several seconds of colour before coming to life with information that had been translated slightly.

Reading it, it showed a current status of all orbital relays and several numbers which were probably orbital calculations relating to them.

Finally the translation matrix was nearing eighty percent, which in Trevan's mind was good enough to start looking for answers.

At the main console again, he could see more information on the screen then before and was finally able to get some major progress in accessing a database.

"I have something," he said to Ben who was nearby, "Basic information only."

Basic he figured to most people, but to them it was gold. Contained in the planet wide database, similar to the Federation Memory Alpha archives, was everything ever recorded. Wars past and present, geo-political situations, literature, music and arts were among the first things that came up.

Reading through some of the more recent entries Trevans' eyes fell upon a small paragraph that was dated about eight years ago. Once he was finished reading it, he turned away from the console and Ben Soma and proceeded to throw up. It was not a pleasant feeling, since it was mostly water, but it was still gross. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he apologized to Soma for the incident, "Sorry Ensign," he said softly.

"But I think I found out why that area was abandoned and why all that dust was so thick." he said swinging the monitor around to face the two of them, "It says about eight years ago, the population had tried to protest against certain government reforms. Which ones it does not say, but, it does say here that despite the increased security to try and quell the riots as they called them, a massive energy discharge occurred and reduced all living things within a small radius to their basic elements, leaving all building and equipment intact."

"We were inhaling people!" he shouted, "What kind of nightmare planet is this?" he asked, "It's not the nice and clean planet we read about in the briefings. Sure, they have problems. We were aware of that, but nothing on this scale was ever mentioned."

(reply any)
(posted by Kerry Fletcher)

(Maltoria- Power Station- ATac Ensign (jg) Ben Soma-2205)

Ben watched as Commander West reconnected one of the monitors in front of them, until that time he assumed it was just burnt out or turned off. The screen flashed with light and then a few colours before finally filling up with information. It contained information on orbital relays and what not. West had turned his attention back to the data base and began searching for information.

"I have something," he said to Ben who was nearby, "Basic information only."

Basic information to the Maltorian's maybe but it should be information they could find of great value. It was a planet wide data base containing information on past wars, politics, literature and music and even art were a few of the subject's that scrolled by on the screen.

Commander West had turned away from the display and threw up, Ben was unsure as to why until he read what Commander West had just read. Then he too felt like throwing up. The information was dated eight years ago and explained about the absence of life in the section of the city they had previously occupied.

"Sorry Ensign," West said softly.

"But I think I found out why that area was abandoned and why all that dust was so thick." he said swinging the monitor around to face the two of them, "It says about eight years ago, the population had tried to protest against certain government reforms. Which ones it does not say, but, it does say here that despite the increased security to try and quell the riots as they called them, a massive energy discharge occurred and reduced all living things within a small radius to their basic elements, leaving all building and equipment intact."

"We were inhaling people!" he shouted, "What kind of nightmare planet is this?" he asked, "It's not the nice and clean planet we read about in the briefings. Sure, they have problems. We were aware of that, but nothing on this scale was ever mentioned."

"No need to apologize, Sir." Ben replied. "I'm fighting very hard right now not to do the same thing."

"How could the government of this planet condone such an action? Civilized cultures don't resort to such actions anymore. Earth has not used such punishment in centuries, we decided long ago that such actions were unacceptable. The fact that they hid this from us says something, maybe this is why our transport was diverted. Someone wants us to see the ugly side of this planet. I won't assume to know the purpose but it is a possibility."

Ben paused and let the information on the screen sink in. These people, the Maltorian's had actually killed their own citizen's because they opposed the government on some point. How could they have lost control and allowed that to happen, surely there was another method to have dealt with the uprising.

The more he thought about it the sicker he became, they had been breathing the remains of people. That thought alone caused a wave of nausea to pass over him. He concentrated hard and the nausea passed for the most part, there was still a lump in his stomach that refused to go away.

"Commander, I don't know about you but this mission has felt wrong from the get go. Even before we beamed down I said I disliked it, now I have learned that I have been breathing the remains of these people. When we finally get the chance to speak to a representative for these people I hope they are prepared to answer some questions." Ben said voice raised slightly.

Ben's tirade had pushed his nausea to the limit and now he turned and threw up. As with Commander West it was mostly clear bile, but not pleasant in the least. He straightened up, wiped his mouth and turned back to Commander West and the display." Sorry about that Commander, it's just the thought of breathing their remains." Ben said in a more even tone. "I apologize for the outburst as well, it wasn't my place."

(reply West/Any)
(posted by Milo Young)

(Maltoria - Power Station - Security Officer Crewman Abu Nighy - 2206)

Abu did his best to control his upset stomach, while he listened to the officers around him.  Sometimes he thought that while he listened to officers, there was some kind of training they had been given that made it so that their discussions would go completely over his head.  Like some kind of special language that they learned at the academy, although he doubted that if he attended the same institution that he would be able to understand it any better than he did now.

He was stunned by the Commander's announcement that they were breathing people, which wasn't something that Abu really needed to hear.

"Oh, I think I'm going to be sick." he declared has he moved quickly to some out of the way corner.  He barely cleared the away team before losing the contents of his stomach.

~How can we be breathing people?  What was it that we ate then?~ Abu wondered as he fell to his knees clearing the contents of his stomach.

(Reply Any)
(posted by Kaweo Kanoho)


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