Cold Blood

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 4:03am by Lieutenant Kalin Brennan-Griffin PhD & Captain Nycolas Temple & Commander Owen Nash & Cailus Griffin & Lieutenant Van Kolbeck & Lieutenant Francesca Merchant & Lieutenant Commander James Smith & Captain Tobias Rao & Lieutenant Commander Janet Glyndar & Lieutenant Laurel Oakley MD
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 7:27am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Carnwennan Corridor

== Bridge ==

Having quickly departed from Carnwennan Station after gaining the Talarian Ambassador's intel and receiving her new crew, the Pandora travelled at maximum warp to the very corner of Talarian space, just at the entrance to the Carnwennan Corridor.

The Talarian border lay in front of them, however their border beacons remained in place and there was no sign of Sevros' ship.

"All stop." Captain Temple commanded, looking at the view screen with growing unease. "Complete a long-range scan of the area."

"Aye sir," Owen responded as he began getting the sensors to probe and provide a long range scan of the area ahead. Knowing that this was a difficult place to arrive at, he made sure that the sensor sensitivity was as accurate as possible.

Owen looked over at Lieutenant Brennan as he worked away at the sensors. "Lieutenant, is there any way to increase the sensitivity of the sensors to see whats ahead? I'm picking up readings and clusters of readings that are separate. If there is a trail out there, it proving difficult to locate at this time," he explained, hoping her expertise could help.

"Well, in Astrometrics, sometimes with stellar bodies that are difficult to detect we look for shadows; ah, give me a moment to recalibrate the sensors for this technique," Shae said as she worked at her station. The readings were proving to be difficult to decipher, but with some effort and a bit of luck, a pattern began to form, a wake of sorts leaving a trail that they could follow. "I've got something, sir; looks like the thrusters on Talarian vessels leave an odd wake in the stellar dust. I don't have the ship yet, but I do have a heading for us to try."

Nyx looked around with a curious gaze, "Interesting, set a course for that location, Mr Nash. Warp eight."

Owen laid in a course for the location specified and took the engines up to Warp Eight as instructed. "Aye sir, we're now at Warp Eight," he reported. Feeling the ever so slight hum of the engines reminded Owen, they would need re-aligning when possible.

"Mr Griffin, can you bring Ambassador Sevros to the Bridge? I'd like to question him on this." Nyx requested.

It too considerable restraint for Cailus not to wince at that order"Aye sir, I'll bring him up," he answered grimly, moving to the turbolift just a smidge slower than usual.

Nyx then tapped his badge =/\= Lieutenants Smith and Lann, the Talarian ship is not where we expected it to be, we're tracking it now. I want you both to formulate a response and give me some answers."

"This is Lann. Understood, will get back to you shortly, Bridge." Temera's voice filtered through the comm from her office where she'd been looking over the data pouring in from Science and Operations.

Smith looked over the data that was pouring in from the science department, he had great respect for scientists and they had aided him on various missions throughout his career. Smith noted that the biggest issue would be these stupid storms. His long range sensor sweeps were picking up some sort of echo, but had studied this area of space and knew that there was a way around this storms.

"Computer, boost signal strength to long range sensors." Smith eyed the data, something didn't add up, jumping up from his desk, he headed out of his office to the turbolift. "Bridge" He arrived at his destination quickly. Smith tugged at his uniform as he exited the lift and made his way to an available station, Smith entered a few command codes and continued to monitor his findings from the bridge.

Shae looked at her console with a look of perplexed confusion; she had just lost the trail? Why did she lose the trail, what had happened? Oh, someone boosted the power to the long range sensors and it was interfering with her readings! Shae sighed; why did everyone assume you could just throw more power at a thing and expect it to work better? There were very complex calibrations at work here! With a sigh, she reset the long range sensors and attempted to rediscover the wake from the Talarian ship they were pursuing.

Nyx noticed the back and forth of power supply from long range sensors and back again. He gave a wry frown, knowing this was a simple case of a new crew learning to work together. This was their first big test since launching, he would have to go easy on them.

"Keep on the trail," He said aloud to the Bridge, "Finding the ship is our priority."

The USS Pandora's brief stop at Carnwennan Station had supplied Lieutenant Commander Janet Glyndar more than enough time to swing down by Pandora's barber for a much needed overhaul. She had been a naturally beautiful woman albeit not one to really do anything to highlight herself. In Security, you did wanted to blend in and not draw unnecessary attention to yourself. However, Janet was no longer a security officer, no longer in a Tactical Department position and the weight of being the mother of a newborn had taken its toll on her mentally, emotionally, and physically as well.

Counselor Oakley had recommended that Janet take some personal time and think about making changes in her life, break away from her tendencies to lean on the past as a crutch and find a means of moving forward into this new life of Command. Janet was willing to meet Laurel part of the way. She was more than willing to seek changes, but she was not going to request any personal leave, not when the USS Pandora was in the middle of such an important mission.

Though it probably was not exactly what Dr. Oakley had in mind, Janet took a look in a mirror and saw the same thing she had always seen. A tough looking, tall woman with ravenously dark hair that allowed her piercing purple irises to pop. Oakley had made the suggestion of a wardrobe change, teasing that Janet should trade in the slacks and trousers for a skirt variant like Oakley herself tended to wear. I am not a skirt woman. I'm an officer in Starfleet she told herself, and there was no way she would wear a skirt as part of her uniform.

However, the First Officer did make some changes to her appearance with the assistance of the hairstylist aboard the Pandora. Gone was the ravenously black hair in exchange to a shimmering golden blonde. The new color was very different. It played nicely with the color of her irises though she was still unsure how she felt about being a blonde, and she had no idea how the others would take to the 'softer' look.

Departing from the turbolift once it reached the Bridge, her destination, Lieutenant Commander Glyndar walked towards the command pit and took her place next to the Commanding Officer. She looked at the man and smirked. "Well, unless the Talarians have been hiding some technological advancements up their sleeves, Captain, I'll go out on a limb and say they are not cloaked" she said in jest.

"Perhaps we should entertain the thought that the Talarians have simply abandoned Sevros," Nyx replied quietly, "Even they must be sick of him."

== Counselor's Office ==

Francesca Merchant, Frannie to her friends, wasn't yet involved with the happenings upon the bridge.

Instead the newly arrived Counselor slash Chief of Morale slash Doctor from Carnwennan Station, was in her office, getting settled. She just started putting her desk and various shelving unites in proper order. Along with getting settled within her new space, the CoM, also started to draft her first communication to all who lived upon the ship. With one hand holding her PaDD and the other holding a small nicknack, Francesca glanced at what has been transcribed so far.

~ Game Night! ~

~ Come one and all for fun and games - ~

And that's all that she wrote before her attention shifted from her PaDD to the small box that held her office belongings. Setting her PaDD down, the dark brown-haired woman reached for the last few things within, so that she could check off one thing from her to-do list today.

== Bridge ==

Temera tepped onto the Bridge, PADD in hand and headed over to her designated console. She needed to be on the Bridge first hand to be able to formulate the advice needed of her, especially with presence of so much scientific data that could aid in their location of the Talarian vessel.

"I'm comparing the wake signature to what we know of Talarian ships so far to see if this unusual pattern Lieutenant Brennan detected is the Talarian norm or if it's a result of an event." Lann said.

"Well, all ships, even Starfleet vessels, leave a wake in one form or another," Shae said as she continued to track this trail and update the helm with the new headings. "But I must admit, this is an unusual one..."

Temera reflexively nodded, "indeed. This pattern doesn't match anything we have on record. They could be damaged or they could have engine modifications we aren't aware of. I am leaning towards the former considering everything."

Nash nodded in agreement. "A Damaged ship would put out a slightly different trail and would also warrant an investigation, as per Starfleet's mandate when locating damaged ships..." Owen advised.

The turbolift doors opened once more and Ambassador Sevros was mid-conversation was Lieutenant Griffin.

"...So if you removed those awful beds and superfluous furniture, you could easily fit twelve officers in those quarters." He instructed the Security Chief. "I'm only trying to help you, Lieutenant."

Struggling mightily as they stood on the threshold, Cailus kept his retort cool. "I will take your recommendation under advisement, Ambassador, but I regret to inform you that the word of one Talarian Colonel will carry little weight with Starfleet Command. They are busy sending starships across the entire galaxy, you see. If you will excuse me sir," he added tightly before Sevros could reply, striding over to his console before the Talarian could respond.

Nyx stood from his command chair and eyed off the Ambassador with a distrustful glare, "Your ship was not where you said it would be, Sevros. Nor were your border markers destroyed or missing."

Sevros scowled, his eyes withering at both Temple and Griffin, "I don't appreciate the tone around here."

"And I don't appreciate being lied to, Ambassador," Nyx shot back, "My crew have discovered your ship has traveled of its own volition towards another location. Do you mind telling us exactly what we're doing here?"

The Talarian scoffed, the contempt evident on his round face, "I have no idea."

"Is that so?" Nyx remarked, before turning to Lieutenant Smith. "Our Intelligence Chief might have ideas. He's analysed the sensor logs supposedly from your border. Go ahead, Mr. Smith, tell us what you've found."

Smith looked down at his computer screen, "The Beacon did in fact pick up a Tzenkethi ship, but the so-called beacon was actually travelling at speed past the Tzenkethi. The readings it picked up (the "pings") came at several different points as the beacon went past the idle Tzenkethi ship. This would indicate that the "beacon" was in fact a probe, possibly a spy drone by the Talarians. This will be enhanced by the fact that we won't find the Talarian ship at the border, but in fact closer to Tzenkethi space instead.

So we need to ask, what are you hiding Ambassador."

== Medical Deck ==

While on the Medical Deck progressive scans were being loaded through the ship's systems. The Pandora was entering the outer expanse of the Carwennian Corridor and the Talarian Borders. Kolbeck leaned forward the standing medical display, one large hand holding his hunch forward the metal bulkhead overtop.

His eyes intent on the various colored contours of lines indicating background radiation and gamma levels that were adjacent to the ship. So far they were in good condition. The Pandora’s outer shielding and the bulkhead were ingeniously crafted for deep space expanses such.

“Mnn Hmnnn…” He mumbled to his self. He rubbed at his blue eye a bit. He had wondered how the Talarian ships were able to swiftly traverse the dangerous corridor with significantly less technology than the Federation. Perhaps it was in the alien physiology. He had made it a note to question.

== Bridge ==

"Preposterous!" Sevros cried, "We were not spying on the Tzenkethi Coalition and I am insulted by the accusation."

There came a loud chirping from the computer, as Lieutenant Brennan had located the Talarian's ship.

"Ease out of warp and approach from a distance," Nyx requested to the Bridge. He turned in his seat as the Pandora slowed down from her warp, looking to the Chief Of Ops. "Mr Nash, what do you see?"

Owen ran a localised scan of the Talarian ship and soon had some interesting results back. "Captain, the Talarian ship is listing to her starboard side. It seems that she has taken some damage to both her impulse engines and also the warp engines as well," Owen reported back. "Life Support is minimal...in fact check that, running on emergency power and in danger of failing...however I'm not picking up any life signs so far..."

Owen ran a further check of the information. "I would ascertain sir that this ship has been involved in an attack and has come off worst in the altercation...its going to be difficult to get on board sir,"

Temera opened up her senses, focusing on what the Ambassador Colonel was projecting. While she was not actively reading his mind, she could easily pick up on his turmoiling emotions, namely whether he was lying or not, as he wasn't hiding what he was feeling.

It had taken a few moments for the news to sink into the Talarian ambassador, as those cold words 'no life signs' ripped through his mind. Suddenly, Sevros let out a blood curdling scream, as he fell to the floor and started rocking back and forth uncontrollably.

"B'Nar," Nyx whispered, before looking to Lieutenant Lann with urgency, "Take him to sickbay and have Doctor Kolbeck sedate him."

Temera nodded and stepped over to Sevros, "let's go, Ambassador." She said none too kindly.

She'd felt his disbelief, his anger, his confusion. What she didn't feel was shock or surprise. He knew what that ship had been up to, she was sure of it.

So she approached him as a Talarian would, roughly in an attempt to snap him out of his state. If she could keep his ire on her she may trip him up to reveal more information.

With Sevros bundled off the Bridge, Temple let out a breath and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Mr Nash, could we beam the Major and his team onboard?" Temple asked calmly.

Owen nodded. "For once, this area is quite within tolerances for the transporter to cope with. I've got a sensor lock on them....its not difficult to setup a Tranporter lock on each member as well," Owen explained to him.

"Thank you," Nyx replied as he stood and looked around the Bridge,

"Let's find out what happened here in case we can't get the ship logs," He instructed in a matter of fact tone.

"Aye sir," Owen acknowledged. With the forward sensor array locked on the boarding team, Owen started checking the hull of the Talarian ship with a more details scan to see what damage had been caused and if there was any debris in the area that could gain him more answers here.

OFF