Day 2 - 1714 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (USS Rosenante, Transporter Room 1 - FO - Cmdr Josh Caskie - Day 2 - 1714) As Josh finished her briefing she noticed that Ensign Kimiko half raised her hand and began speaking. “Given that we are sending away mission, I could reasonably presume that the urmm.. hostiles have vacated the area. If so every minute that one spends securing the area, is one less for responding to a potential crisis.” The Doctor took a deep breath and continued. “I don't wish to appear as if I am informing Security how to do their job, but if one could secure the area, say- what is that?- line of sight of where we are coming down at, then Medical can start a bit sooner” Josh grinned knowing that when she was CMO she had used the exact same argument time and time again. She turned towards the ensign and smiling at her began to explain. "An excellent point Ensign Kimiko, however we are not sure as yet whether the hostiles have vacated the area. We are beaming down into what is an unknown situation and whilst I do understand your wish to beam down as soon as possible, I am tasked with making sure that all our away teams do not necessarily jeopardise themselves during their mission, so with all due respect we will do it my way if you have no other objections." ========================= Day 2 - 1716 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (USS Rosenante, Transporter Room 1, ACMO Esn Kimiko Ichijo- Day 2 - 1716) As Josh finished her briefing she noticed that Ensign Kimiko half raised her hand and began speaking. “Given that we are sending away mission, I could reasonably presume that the urmm.. hostiles have vacated the area. If so every minute that one spends securing the area, is one less for responding to a potential crisis.” The Doctor took a deep breath and continued. “I don't wish to appear as if I am informing Security how to do their job, but if one could secure the area, say- what is that?- line of sight of where we are coming down at, then Medical can start a bit sooner” The Commander turned towards her and smiled, considering the earlier thunderous expression, Kimiko grew slightly concerned. "An excellent point Ensign Kimiko, however we are not sure as yet whether the hostiles have vacated the area. We are beaming down into what is an unknown situation and whilst I do understand your wish to beam down as soon as possible, I am tasked with making sure that all our away teams do not necessarily jeopardize themselves during their mission, so with all due respect we will do it my way if you have no other objections." After bringing her idea and the senior officer overruling it, Kimiko did the only thing that she could do in that situation. “No sir, none at all” ========================= Day: 2 - 1719 Mission: Into The Darkness Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 – 30CCOUNS Lt. (jg) Jon Nayati – 1719) Jon patiently waited for Commander Caskie to tell him, and the rest of the away team members, what exactly was going on. As he watched Commander Caskie preparing to speak, Jon observed a lot of emotions flare across her aura. Mostly the shimmering colors were indicative of fear and indecision. "Approximately about one hour ago this ship received a distress call from the Boronite Mining Colony in the Bardon Sector. It was under attack from a rogue vessel and had suffered serious casualties.” As Commander Caskie said the words rogue vessel her aura spiked precipitously. ~There’s something that Commander Caskie’s holding out connected to the identity of the star ship that had attacked the Bardon mining colony. But what is it. Great Spirit?~ “We will beam down in this order,” Commander Caskie said. “Firstly all the security teams who will secure the facility and advise the rest of us that it is safe. Secondly, Lt Nayati and I will beam down with the medical team. Ensign Lopez. You are the senior Medical Officer present. Please organize your teams so that they understand their roles before they beam down." Once he knew what his assignment was, and who he was going to working with, Jon organized himself by Commander Caskie’s lovely side. “Unless you order to be otherwise, Commander, I’ll take the point” Jon said quietly. After Lt. Jackson’s and Ensign V’Shera’s security teams had transported down to the Bardon Mining Complex, Jon stepped onto the transporter pad before Commander Caskie. “I’m on point as of now, Commander Caskie. ” Commander Caskie joined Jon, and transporter tech activated the beam down device. There was the usual pattern of swirling, sparkling lights, then a moment of dark, nothingness. In the next moment, he and Commander Caskie rematerialized in a wrecked, debris filled corridor. There was breathable atmosphere in the corridor but it was laced the ferrous stench of both spilled and energy fried flesh and blood. There was also the acrid scent of ruptured electronic circuitry, and the ozone of repeated phaser fire. Though Jon’s mind shields wereup, his telepathy still registered some of the thoughts of the dead and dying in his vicinity. To Commander Caskie credit, she continued to function in a military and professional matter. Moving everyone away from the transport site she turned to Lopez. "Deploy your teams Mr Lopez. Lt Nayati and I will make our way to the Control Room." Jon consulted his tactical tricorder for a moment. “Commander, we need to go straight down this corridor and then go starboard to a ladder leading upward to the next level. My tricorder indicates that the turbo-lifts on most of this level are wreaked or without power.” ========================= Day 2 - 1722 Mission: Into The Darkness Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Bardon Mining Facility – FO - Cmdr Josh Caskie – 1722) The Security teams had beamed down, and both she and the 3O had beamed down with the medical teams. The 3O had already said that he would take point and just as he was about to do so Josh rested a hand on his arm to stop him. "I'm sorry Mr Nayati, there is something I need to tell you before we go any further, although this should not yet be shared with the crew. The original distress call from this station specified that it was the USS Rosenante which was attacking them." "By all means take point, but be very careful if you will." Jon consulted his tactical tricorder for a moment. “Commander, we need to go straight down this corridor and then go starboard to a ladder leading upward to the next level. My tricorder indicates that the turbo-lifts on most of this level are wreaked or without power.” Josh nodded. "Lead the way if you will. I'm perfectly capable of climbing if needed Lt. ========================= Day: 2 - 1723 Mission: Into the Darkness Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Bardon Mining Facility – Level Five corridor – 30/CCOUNS Lt. (jg) Jon Nayati – 1723) Jon was about to take the point when Commander Caskie unexpectedly and gently touched his arm. "I'm sorry Mister Nayati; there is something I need to tell you before we go any further, although this should not yet be shared with the crew.” Commander Caskie said. . .” ~I was right Great Spirit, she was hiding something,~ Jon thought fleetingly, “. . The original distress call from this station specified that it was the USS Rosenante which was attacking them.” ~No wonder there was a sudden spike in her aura when the FO mentioned that a rogue ship had attacked this mining colony.~ Jon paused to take a long cleansing breath before he spoke to Commander Caskie. When he exhaled, Jon spoke clear and calmly. “If that’s the case Commander we’ve got another unforeseen and extremely dangerous problem on our hands,” Jon said flatly. “The captain’s taken the Rose way off mission, and now we’ve just answered a distress call in which our ship was designed as the attacker. Unless I’ve got my standard ops protocols all wrong, this colony sent out a general distress call to any Star Fleet ships in the vicinity. Which means we were not the only Star fleet ships to have received the colony’s SOS. We arrived first, but how many UFP star ships will be arriving after us?. In your tactical opinion Commander, what will those arriving UFP ships do if they find our Rosenante still hanging around? Won’t we look more like aggressors, than rescuers? Besides our Rose’s all ready a rogue, and off-mission now. Who’s going to believe what we say then?” After a few thoughtful minutes, Commander Caskie returned to the task at hand. "By all means take point, but be very careful if you will." :Of course, Commander Caskie. I wouldn’t have any other way, Sir.” Jon consulted his tactical tricorder for a moment. “Commander, we need to go straight down this corridor and then go starboard to a ladder leading upward to the next level. My tricorder indicates that the turbo-lifts on most of this level are either wreaked or without power.” Josh nodded. "Lead the way if you will. I'm perfectly capable of climbing if needed Lt.' Shifting the tricorder to his left hand, thus freeing his right to draw his holstered phaser pistol, Jon headed down the corridor. In the low illuminated corridor Jon disengaged his cyber lens, so he was seeing the equivalent of NCR II day light. He let his mind and body shift into a hyper-alert state where his keen senses, sharp instincts and finely honed spirits gifts would be most effective in the service of the commander he’d earlier pledged himself to protect. Shooting a quick glance at the read on his tricorder, Jon laughed a little. “I never doubted that for an second commander,” Jon returned “But I was using the ancient naval expression for stairs as well as ladders. In this particular instance, my tricorder indicates stairs rather climbing ladders. Hopefully, we’ll find one that's not damaged and structurally sound when we’re ready to go up. Which is going to be in 2.45 meters, Sir?” ========================= Day 2- 1725, 1735 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Bardon Alpha- Bardon Mining Facility- Corridor- SO- Ens. Mike Rosenbauer- Day 2- 1725) With so many different away teams heading to the planet V'Shera had seen to it that there were plenty of security personnel tagging along to provide some protection for the medical, command and engineering teams that were beaming down to the surface. V'Shera had be placed in charge of the away team's security by the captain, and she had in turn ordered Mike's team to secure the facility before the Medical and Engineering teams arrived. Mike and his squad had beamed down and had quickly spread out checking the entirety of the first floor of the complex quickly and thoroughly. Cooper and T'Vyr had reported back that all they found were dead station personnel and ancillary damage. it seemed that only a few of the victims had managed to get themselves armed with phasers. Of the dead that the two had found most had been murdered by a sharp bladed weapon, probably a straight-bladed dagger of some sort. This same information was also relayed back to Mike by his second team of Saint-Jean and Mosh. there were a few bodies that had been killed in the initial orbital bombardment but so far, there were more killed by direct contact with the enemy, whoever they may be. Phaser and knife seemed to be their weapons of choice, with the latter being the most prevalent. There was something inherently evil about the precision and brutality of the carnage that Mike witnessed as he, Caskie and Nayati made their way through the corridors and into the control room. (Bardon Alpha- Bardon Mining Facility- Control Room- SO- Ens. Mike Rosenbauer- Day 2- 1735) The first thing that Mike noticed was the very precise markings of a plasma charge that had been deployed against the control panel of the Control center's blast doors. ~Whoever set that charge has some military experience.~ Mike thought as he set foot through the doors just behind Lieutenant Nayati. A practiced military eye quickly took in the entire scene. the administrator, crumpled in the middle of the room, laying in a blackened- coagulated pool of his own blood; the two bodies of other technicians, one stabbed repeatedly, the other killed by phaser blast. Mike was wondering what the real reason for these murders could be. It was so brutal to have killed them for a shipment of ore. his instincts warned him that this was a precursor to something more nefarious. Could it have anything to do with their current mission, whatever that could be? Mike's phaser rifle barrel swept the room, as he moved through it looking for any signs of occupation. He rounded a corner and noticed a man in a technician's uniform slumped over. He noticed that the man, whose name appeared to be Dallas, according to his uniform, was clutching at his abdomen and breathing heavily. Mike quickly slung his rifle and crouched down to survey the man's wounds. "Commander, we have injured a survivor here." He called out to Caskie. At the sound of his voice, the make jerked aware as if he had been awakened from a terrible nightmare, which mike supposed he had. The man's eyes got big as Mike turned to look at Jennifer, showing the man his left profile. then something unexpected happened. The man attacked him. He must have been hiding a spanner close by, and Mike didn't really see it coming until it was almost too late. The seasoned security officer jerked his head aside to take a downward glancing blow along the back and side of his skull rather then a blow that would most likely have killed him outright. Even with his last minute maneuver, Mike's head exploded in a wall of pain that sent flashes of bright light coursing across his field of vision. The Ex-Ranger tucked and rolled away from his unexpected assailant, his rifle barrel raised and ready to fire. The man was weakly clutching the spanner in a defensive manner. Although it was apparent that he would try to use it if Mike gave him another opportunity. "Drop the Spanner." Mike ordered as he lowered his weapon. He could feel a warmth spreading along the back of his head. "We're not going to hurt you." "Like hell." The man replied, although the effort seemed to cause him a great deal of agony. He doubled up in pain." Mike started to move forward, but the man was still aware of his surroundings and raised the spanner threateningly again. "Why'd you come back?" he asked through clenched teeth, "forget to finish me?" Mike was so surprised by the man's question that he didn't answer before Jennifer and Jon rounded the machinery. "What?" Mike asked. The man looked over towards the new arrival and his eyes locked on Jennifer. "Alix was my friend you murdering bi*ch." he said with venom. Mike move forward, now was the time for him to act. To the technician's credit, he must have been expecting Mike's action. He spun with a frightening speed borne of self-preservation and swung the spanner that he held in his right hand. Mike blocked the blow with his left forearm, which was marked by a distinctive crunch of breaking bone, before landing a counter-punch on the man's jaw, knocking him out cold. He'd be damned if he'd hurt another member of the away team, and didn't think that the injured man would survive the phaser blast. Mike move back away from the injured man, favoring his left arm somewhat. He could already feel it throbbing as it swelled up. He stood and gently touched the wound on his head, drawing away bloody fingers. Then with a forced smile he looked up at the two officers and shrugged. "He's all yours." he said. ========================= Day 2 - 1725 Mission: Into the Darkness Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Bardon Mining Facility – Level Five Corridor – FO - Cmdr Josh Caskie - Day 2 – 1725) Josh could see the 3rd Officer take a long breath after she told him the news. “If that’s the case Commander we’ve got another unforeseen and extremely dangerous problem on our hands,” Jon said flatly. “The captain’s taken the Rose way off mission, and now we’ve just answered a distress call in which our ship was designed as the attacker. Unless I’ve got my standard ops protocols all wrong, this colony sent out a general distress call to any Star Fleet ships in the vicinity. Which means we were not the only Star fleet ships to have received the colony’s SOS. We arrived first, but how many UFP star ships will be arriving after us?. In your tactical opinion Commander, what will those arriving UFP ships do if they find our Rosenante still hanging around? Won’t we look more like aggressors, than rescuers? Besides our Rose’s all ready a rogue, and off-mission now. Who’s going to believe what we say then?” Josh nodded. "Probably every single ship in this sector is already making their way here now. As for what they will do. You know as well as I do that they will attempt to arrest us and if we refuse to stand down then they will fire on us. The civil war is still far too recent for the Fleet to allow a rogue vessel any leeway. It's what I would do. At the very least the entire Command Staff will be facing charges of mutiny and the crew will either be dispersed throughout the fleet or dishonourable discharged depending on their rank and position. She shrugged. "But then we all understood that this could be a possibility during the Captain's briefing and we agreed to follow him. The best thing we can do now is keep going since it is the only way we will find out exactly what is happening and figure out how we can fix it." ~If we can.~ She regarded Jon for a moment and then agreed to him taking point. After she had made her comment about climbing she heard him laugh somewhat and a smile crossed her face. “I never doubted that for an second commander,” Jon returned “But I was using the ancient naval expression for stairs as well as ladders. In this particular instance, my tricorder indicates stairs rather climbing ladders. Hopefully, we’ll find one that's not damaged and structurally sound when we’re ready to go up. Which is going to be in 2.45 meters, Sir?” Josh sighed slightly. "Very well Lt. Lead the way." ========================= Day 2 - 1727, 1737 NRPG: See Jack. It's not just you. Everybody does it. I just happen to have been particularly bad this week. Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Bardon Alpha- Bardon Mining Facility- Control Room - FO- Cmdr Josh Caskie - Day 2- 1737) Josh and Jon had followed Mike into the Control Room. The smell of recent blood was far stronger here and Josh could not help but transfer her medical case from hand to hand as she slowly walked through the room. Rosenbauer had continued to check out the room and finally he called back to her. "Commander, we have injured a survivor here." Josh immediately crossed to where Rosenbauer was just in time to see him partially dodge an attack from the casualty. As he rolled away the casualty looked up at Josh and swore at her. Jennifer heard the sharp crack of a bone breaking and watched as Rosenbauer punched the survivor. "Caskie to Medical Teams. We have a survivor in the Control Room. I need the nearest squad here please asap. Two injuries. One serious one not. ========================= Day 2, 1738 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Boronite Mining Facility - Corridor - ACMO- Ensign (jg) Sam Lopez- Day 2 - 1738) Sam had found no people alive so far,but was determined to find some alive and then the call came. =/\=Caskie to Medical Teams. We have a survivor in the Control Room. I need the nearest squad here please asap. Two injuries. One serious one not.=/\= Sam tapped his combadge at the call" i am on my way,sir"and closed the channel."lets go team"Sam called out. (Boronite Mining Facility - control room - ACMO- Ensign (jg) Sam Lopez- Day 2 - 1750) Sam rushed into the control room with his tricorder ready and started to scan for injuries on the survivor as E'Mpak scanned the security officer who seem to be injured.Sam looked at the results of the scan" He has several broken bones and internal bleeding he would need minor surgery. I recommend we beam him back to the ship for surgery,sir." ========================= Day 2 - 1740 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Boronite Mining Facility - Control Room - FO - Cmdr Josh Caskie - Day 2 - 1740) As Dr Lopez rushed in to the Control Room Josh pointed him in the direction of the survivor. Stopping E'Mpak she pointed her in Mike's direction. "Ensign Rosenbauer has a broken arm I think, and a fairly nasty head wound." Listening to Lopez' assessment she nodded. "He has several broken bones and internal bleeding he would need minor surgery. I recommend we beam him back to the ship for surgery,sir." "By all means doctor please arrange it, and have Ensign Rosenbauer beamed up for treatment too." Crossing to Mike she smiled at him. "Don't argue. I think both your radius and your ulna are fractured and you need to have that head wound treated as well. Make sure that Dr Wyler puts our casualty in a side ward and have someone station security outside his room until the Captain has time to speak to him. If you want to reorganise you teams I suggest you do it now" Turning she regarded the 3O. "Mr Nayati, since medical personnel are here perhaps our time would be better spent reviewing the security tapes in the Administrator's Office. As Josh climbed the stairs to the office she could not help but remember what the survivor had said. Not only had he recognised Mike but he had recognised her too and had been extremely vocal in his dislike of her, to put it mildly. ========================= Day: 2 1743 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Boronite Mining Facility - Control Room - 30/CCOUNS Lt. (jg) Jon Nayati – 1743) Jon had watched the lobe-sided fight between the wounded Bardon Mine tech and the surprised Ensign Rosenbauer with a sense of genuine puzzlement. Jon’s puzzlement stemmed not from the fight itself, but from what the tech had said during the struggle. ~Did you come back to finish me off? What a curious thing to say.~ From the tech’s words and aura Jon could tell he seemed to both recognize Mister Rosenbauer and believed the ensign was actually responsible for his injuries. The man’s interactions with Commander Caskie seemed convey the same feelings of accusatory recognition and serious acrimony to ward her. ~But how could that be, we’ve only just arrived here and are trying help.. What the Hell was going on here, Great Spirit? Is it a coincidence that the administrator of this mining colony had reported that it was under attack from the Rosenante, and now this causality seems to think that personal from our ship injured hi?. What the hell is going here? If the colony survivors see us as their attackers, how are we going to prove our innocents to any Star fleet vessel that arrives after us?~ By the time Jon had mulled over these disturbing thoughts, the attending doctor and Comber Nurse E’Mpak had diagnosed both ensign Rosenbauer and his seriously injured opponent. It was recommended that the mining survivor be beamed over to the Rose for some extensive medical treatment. Crossing to Mister Rosenbauer, FO Caskie smiled and said to him. "Don't argue. I think both your radius and your ulna are fractured and you need to have that head wound treated as well. Make sure that Dr Wyler puts our casualty in a side ward and have someone station security outside his room until the Captain has time to speak to him.” If you want to reorganize you teams I suggest you do it now" After Ensign Rosenbauer complied with Commander Caskie’s gentle but firm orders, she turned to Jon and spoke. "Mr. Nayati, since medical personnel are here perhaps our time would be better spent reviewing the security tapes in the Administrator's Office.” “I totally concur, Commander Caskie,” Jon said. “There are things going on here I’m unable to explain, logically, to barrow some Vulcan phraseology.” Jon smiled as he qualified his last sentence. His attempt at lame humor was Jon’s way of breaking the tensions he felt either within himself or with others. Jon couldn’t decide which of the two was the case now. Jon fell in behind Commander Caskie as she ascended the short flight of stairs to the administrator’s office. Looking at the commander’s aura Jon saw the mixed emotions of puzzlement and concern. ~Commander Caskie is good judge of people, perhaps she’s also troubled by mining Tech’s clear animosity towards her and Ensign Rosenbauer.~ .~How can that be since, the Rose has never been here before now. Yet Administrator Sorvex’s subspace SOS specifically identified the Rose as the attacking ship? A star ship with some kind of massive holo-array could fake the physical appearance of the Rose, but what kind of esoteric technology could make this injured man think that Caskie and Rosenbauer had attacked the base and him?~ “Perhaps, commander,” Jon said, “our first efforts should be directed at getting sensor data relating to identifying the ship that actually attacked this defenseless colony. The next priority should be internal sensor logs to see the people that attacked here. I read our casualty’s aura while he talked to you both, and he really believes that you two are directly responsible for his injuries. Furthermore, I did not see any effects of covert mind control or drug manipulation in our victim’s aura either. He honestly believes that you and Ensign Rosenbauer are the cause of his injuries. How this can be, I do not know.” At door Jon checked both his tricorder and seemed to listen for the sounds of life and danger inside the closed control room. Finding neither, Jon signaled all clear to Commander Caskie. ========================= Day 2 - 1745 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Boronite Mining Facility - Control Room - FO - Cmdr Josh Caskie - 1745) As she and Nayati climbed the stairs to the Administrator's Office Nayati began suggesting what the should check on first. “Perhaps, commander, our first efforts should be directed at getting sensor data relating to identifying the ship that actually attacked this defenseless colony. The next priority should be internal sensor logs to see the people that attacked here." Josh nodded. "I agree Lieutenant. I'll download the sensor data if you would be so good as to do the same for the internal sensor logs." "I read our casualty’s aura while he talked to you both, and he really believes that you two are directly responsible for his injuries. Furthermore, I did not see any effects of covert mind control or drug manipulation in our victim’s aura either. He honestly believes that you and Ensign Rosenbauer are the cause of his injuries. How this can be, I do not know.” Sighing Josh shook her head. "Neither do I Mr Nayati, neither do I. I'll have Dr Wyler check him for both mind control and drugs, since they would be the obvious culprits. But if you didn't see any evidence of them when you read him then I imagine it's highly unlikely that she'll find anything. That Mr Nayati worries me more than anything." At door Jon checked both his tricorder and seemed to listen for the sounds of life and danger inside the closed control room. Finding neither, Jon signaled all clear to Commander Caskie. At Nayati's all clear Josh entered the room and crossing to the relevant computer station she began downloading the sensor data that she needed knowing that Nayati was already doing the same for the station logs. ========================= Day 2 - 1750, 1810 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Boronite Mining Facility - Corridor - ACEO - Ensign (jg) Mitena Rixx - Day 2 - 1750) Once it was their turn to beam down, Mitena took her place on the transporter. There was a stark contrast from the room they had left and the one that they had beamed into. She noted the blackened spots along the wall where power grid junctions would have been. When the first officer had said there was an attack on the facility, she'd expected to see damage. It just seemed that there was more of it then was in her initial estimation. As Rosenbauer had said, there were security personnel waiting for them as they materialized. She nodded in their direction and smiled. "Sir, I'm going to start looking for an operational terminal." She said plainly, not wanting to be there any longer then she imaged any of the rest of them did. With tricorder in hand, she headed into the facility. All of her experience with structural engineering told her that this facility would take a long time to be brought back up to operational. So much of the structure would need to be completely pulled out and rebuilt. Not to mention the amount of time it would take to get the wiring all reset. It would make the Rose's stint at Geneva seem like it had just been an overnight visit. (Boronite Mining Facility - Corridor - ACEO - Ensign (jg) Mitena Rixx - Day 2 - 1810) As Mitena moved from one damaged terminal to next in search of one that still had a working connection with the main computer core, she began to get discouraged that they would find anything of use. So far every one she had checked had too much damage to be repaired. She marked yet another room off on her PADD. This one wasn’t going to be any more useful then the last dozen or so. Comparing their location with the facility deck plan, she noted that they had gotten pretty deep into the facility and that they had to be getting close to computer core. Mitena closed the access panel on the last in a long string of non functional terminals. It hadn’t taken any direct damage, but it wasn’t capable of receiving the information either. “It looks like this one doesn’t have anything coming into it. No power, no signals, and definitely no feed from the computer. All the wiring is in place and the console itself is undamaged. Most likely, the junction box that maintains the connection for these terminals,” she said with a wave of her hand in the direction of two other terminals in the small room, “has been disconnected in some manner or destroyed.” She said, “I think that given our proximity to the computer core, we should just head there.” She fastened the engineering kit closed once again and headed back out into the corridor towards the main computer. It didn’t seem that whoever had damaged much of the facility that they’d already seen had made it this far down. Thankfully, they had seen fewer and fewer of the casualties they had seen initially. ========================= Day 2 - 1753, 1802 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (Boronite Mining Facility - Main Corridor - ACMO- Esn Kimiko Ichijo- Day 2 - 1753) Kimiko moved to another victim. ~dead too, but that’s odd~. The doctor noticed that injuries to the body were as one would expect; burns, abrasions, and crushing trauma, however there was something different. Not able to put her finger on it the ensign moved to the next prone form. ~dead as well, but something is, yes that is it~ Kimiko was torn between exploring the new find and looking for other injured. If what she was thought was correct then any chance of survivors was miniscule. “Mr. Fuller, if you would be so kind as to tag that body for possible recovery, please” Doctor Ichijo pressed her com while looking for any other injured.. “Ichijo to Dr Wyler” “What are the orders for autopsies?” “Very well, thank you. No survivors as of yet” Kimiko replied “Ichijo out” Kimiko looked back to see if Fuller was complete. “Mr Fuller if you are finished, then we will continue down that hallway” Kimiko looked at her scanner, the free floating boronite particles played merry hell with her scanner. She got perhaps only ten or fifteen meters with any chance of accuracy, and it appeared to be getting worse. The Ensign looked sidelong at the chief, “I was wondering if you noticed the particular injuries of the last tech that we examined” With her mind running, she barely waited for a reply “I think that it precludes any chance that explosive shrapnel simultaneously inflicted serrated cuts on each of the nerve clusters located on the arms and chest area.” Kimiko stopped and stared a disemboweled human. “I think that we are dealing with something sentient, but not altogether sane.” ~I have seen the enemy and he scares the sh*t out of me~ Kimiko thought (Boronite Mining Facility – South Bay - ACMO- Esn Kimiko Ichijo- Day 2 - 1802) The pair stopped in at a T- intersection. fortunately it appeared that this area was sparsely populated, there was a open doorway in front of them. It appeared that the door was opened by brute force. Looking in, Kimiko saw several more prone forms lying about the room. The Doctor walked in and ran her tricorder over the room. The device just blinked at her stupidly. Kimiko bent down and started to take vitals, pro forma. ~This guy lost far too much blood, even if we arrived an hour ago~ Kimiko eyes widened “Umm..Chief, have you ever seen any fleet uniform that looked like that” ========================= Day 2, 1820 Mission: Into the Darkness, Go I Day: 2 Stardate: 2408.08.02 (USS Furious - Captain's Ready Room - Unknown -Day 2 , 1820) The whine of the transporter built and then receded in the darkened chamber, the scintillating column of energy outlining a solidifying human form before it faded once more into darkness. There were no lights, no tells, no active sensors within the ready room having been disabled from another location. There was no sound except for the faint sighing of the ventilation system. The form stayed completely still for only a few seconds as it gained its bearings, the low light headset using sensor inputs to 'paint' the room and give it depth and clarity. A small sensor unit that was readily held in one hand was activated as well and showed the intruder that its secretive entrance was masked as planned. Nothing had been left to chance, the transporter energy would show up in the OPS system as a slight power spike in main engineering's coolant system while the loss of power in the captain's ready room would simply be another of the incessant power fluctuations that operations was having to run down and deal with due to the shakedown. It would last for less than two minutes before smoothing out with or without OPS interference. If investigated exhaustively the tampering would become evident but who had time to investigate every little hiccup in the ship's systems or interest for that matter since this had been an ongoing struggle since launch? No one would ... until it was too late. This left him/her time but he/she would not be wasting it and the figure moved quickly to the captain's desk, some sort of gem it appeared was hovering over a display unit, a quick check of the sensor showed there was nothing about the crystal that would interfere with the function of the equipment he/she had brought so satisfied he/she reached into the pouch upon the hip and withdrew a flat black cylinder three inches in diameter and two inches in depth while moving behind the desk and getting to one knee. The device magnetically clicked into place and due to its position beneath the center of the table and out of sight it would be unobtrusive, also until activated by a remote signal it would be dormant and not register on internal sensors. Trouble at the boronite mining facility had kicked this activity into gear early due to standing orders, if the facility had been destroyed there would be an investigation by this ship's CO and activities there would not bear scrutiny nor was it desirable for the details of the boronite shipments to become known. Whatever ship had attacked needed to be dealt with but after that this ship's commanding officer needed to become collateral damage as well. If for some unknown reason this attempt should fail there was a backup explosive device that would rupture the warp engine's containment vessel which would result in immediate destruction of the ship. Satisfied that the placement of the explosive was perfect and with only thirty seconds having elapsed he/she pressed the recall button which would cause transporter two to move him/her to a point well away from his/her quarters in another 'dead' area, should an investigation ever be done they would have hell to pay trying to track her down. A chuckle escaped her lips as the carrier wave initiated and lit up the room once more for a couple of seconds and then was gone, leaving silence once again in its wake. ========================= Marilyn Work Cmdr Josh Caskie FO USS Rosenante __________ NOD32 4041 (20090428) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com