Captive State: Approaching System 569701 Part 2
Posted on 08 Feb 2022 @ 3:47pm by Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant Alexandra Lee & Lieutenant Commander Alexanderia Cahill & Lieutenant Lamia ‘Mia’ Kildare & Lieutenant Matthew Thompson & Lieutenant Leland Hawksley & Lieutenant JG Ted Silver
3,836 words; about a 19 minute read
Mission:
S03 Ep 04 Captive State Part 1 (Main)
Location: Tomcat, Various locations on the ship
[ON]
Dodd got the playful reply from his ol' right hand as he then looked at his new right hand.
"Doctor, what precautionary inoculations do you feel the away team would need before being beamed down to the surface?" Dodd asked Cahill.
"Even though we have stopped them in our timeline. Some such as Yellow Fever, Smallpox, and anthrax would be good places to start. May have to look at a few others. as well, can find out more once we come up with more information from our scans." Replied Cahill.
"Great, I would like the whole crew to be inoculated even if they are not going to the surface, just to play it all safe." Dodd replied.
As the bridge crew kept busy with the approach to the relatively unexplored system, Dodd felt that the crew were in good spirits and the excitement of the new region was polarizing good feelings amongst the crew.
"Helm, once in range of the fourth planet, take the ship into a very high geosynchronous orbit over the largest city." Dodd ordered.
"Science station, once in orbit start scanning the surface for information about the biology of everything you can. Communications, also once in orbit scan and monitor any communications or transmissions on the planet. We need to gather as much data as quickly as possible to help aid the away team on their mission." Dodd requested of that staff.
Ted nodded.
“Yes sir.” Ted said
Ted considered his options. The ship's scanners would be able to scan the planet. But they needed to get a better look around. They needed a visual record of what these people looked like. So the away team could blend in. Silver knew they had some drones that could cloak themselves. He was not sure why they had them but they would come in handy. He would send a couple down.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep up the great work." Dodd replied. He so wished he could be on the away team. However, he knew as acting captain that he needed to remain on the ship. Cahill and Jackson would be so lucky to be a part of this mission.
Cahill replied, "I am going to find this interesting and a challenge as well. Not often do we get to practice 20th Century medicine anymore and it will be a good training mission."
Nicci was absorbed in her work from the engineering console. It was easier down in main engineering to get a better picture of the state of the ship with all the systems flowing into there, but she was needed on the bridge, and as chief, she had to set a good example.
oO Warp coil timing is slightly out of phase, Oo she noted to herself as she looked at the readout and then ducked back under the console. oO No ODN lag to compensate for either, Oo she thought to herself. "Gonna have to run a level three diagnostic when we drop into orbit," she said, sending the note to Hawksley. "I don't want one engine revving more than the other and tearing us apart. But the timing circuits should be in synch..."
She had herself a mystery to solve. Could a cloaked ship be hiding in their warp field, surfing on their subspace waves? Faulty isolinear sub processor down near the plasma transfer conduits? Luckily being on the ship gave her the time to figure it out.
"Anyone have any scans of this sector to share? As we have not been here and the data from this sector is hard to come by, I would be curious if anyone had a report they got from any of our data to share?" Dodd asked of his science station on the bridge to see if there were any unknowns that may need to be addressed.
Lamia stepped out of the turbolift onto the bridge, now she was Chief Counsellor she had a place on the bridge and she intended to be there as often as possible. She offered Remington a smile as she sat down and made herself comfortable.
Ted turned to Dodd.
“Picking up pollutants in upper atmosphere. Planets ozone layer not looking to healthy…..almost like historical data on Earth of the 1980’s. Land masses look almost like Earth but not quite…..Sir it might be prudent to send down some cloaked sensor drones. The ships scanners can only pick so much up. We don’t really know for sure what these people look like.” Ted replied.
"Good catch, but odd about the pollutants, this planet should not be seeing pollutants as it is just supposed to be in early industrial status and thus should not be making atmospheric pollution. Good idea on the use of drones. I would like a set of ten drones equipped with cloaking abilities and program them to get what data we can get from within the atmosphere and use only signal frequencies that are current within the last four years. This will help to avoid any equipment that may be on the surface from the observation team's era. If anyone on the surface is capable of scanning for communication signals they should not see any transmissions." Dodd replied to Silver. "Once you have those drones ready launch when ready."
“Actually Commander about the pollutants. That may not necessarily be true so to speak. They could be natural say from volcanic activity. Even if that was a while ago it could still hang about in the upper atmosphere. Plus even at early stages of industrial development. Some unsavory pollutants were unknowingly produced. With your permission I will head off to the science lab and prepare those probes.” Ted replied
"True, I forget about natural pollutants." Dodd stated. "Lieutenant you have permission to prepare the probes and that is now your primary task until time to go to the surface. Please alert me when you have launched the probes and then keep me and Commander Cahill advised of the data you collect."
" I will be as quick as I can Commander." Ted said as he hurried off the bridge.
----
Science Lab
Ted hurried in and immediately got to work on a couple of drones. Thankfully the treaty of Algeron aloud simple drones to carry cloaking devices. So long as they were not used to spy on any Romulan interests. Once they had the drones ready Ted launched them towards the planet.
He then sat and waited for data to come through. Ted was surprised by the first drone report. The occupants of the planet looked almost human. Except they seemed a lot more muscular even the females. The buildings and tech looked more like they came from Earth during the 1980's. which in itself was strange as there seemed to be no space program to speak of.
Silver sent the information to Dodd on the bridge. Then getting up he returned there.
----
Engineering
Down in Engineering, Leland reviewed the ODN lag adjustments in the nacelle interlocking constrictors. Often after a period of static reclamation sweeps, which Hawksley had completed with Dodd just weeks prior on the nacelle chambers, there was the eventual ODN lag report.
Taping his communications badge, Hawksley acknowledged. =/\= Chief Taggart. Hawksley here, Ma’am. =/\=
He then reviewed the information in the system, coding in a few ODN corrections once they reached an orbital destination. =/\= I’m sending you a possible data fix I crafted. Have a look at it, would you, Chief? =/\=
Up on the bridge, Nicci was chest-deep into the console when her badge chirped, focused on an isolinear bank in front of her, =/\=Will do Hawksley, thanks. Double check the ODN lines will you? Just want to make sure we don't have a hardware issue with any of the lines being cracked or whatever. In a pinch, stuff like that can fail and leave us in the lurch.=/\=
=/\= Aye, Lieutenant. =/\= Leland had called a hand to help with him. =/\= On our way to check it out Chief. =/\=
--Bridge--
Nicci found a hairline fracture in one of the ODN lines in the engineering console. Very minor issue, and with checksums and other error correction software, it had maybe a 1 in 150,000 chance of causing a real issue, but now that she knew about it, she had to fix it. If the console exploded because of it, she could get hurt or killed, or someone else, and that would be on her.
oO Damn sloppy starbase engineers...Oo she thought to herself. oO Tadd Biggins assured me he got all the ODN lines checked before we left base. Then again, he spent more time checking out my ass and my other assets than he did making sure this ship was in order. And here I thought I could trust a man to be a good engineer like... Oo
The light inside the ODN junction turned red as she unplugged the small cable between it and the lower control panel and reconnected a new line. The light turned green, and it rebooted within seconds. oO ...me. Oo
"Okay. Now, computer, reboot the lower control surface, test error correction, data flow, and checksum. Make sure all isolinear chips are functional and no cracks, chips, or damage to any of the data thereon."
"Working..." said the computer as the various displays went through their cycles.
"All hardware functioning within normal parameters," the computer responded.
"Good," she said, sitting back at the chair, doing a few manual checks for her own peace of mind. "Now, let's sort through the hardware telemetry of our shuttle, make sure it's good to go in case we need to send it down."
Ted walked through the turbo lift doors as they opened onto the bridge.
“ You should be getting the data from the probes now Commander.” He said
----
Engineering/Deck 08
Leland handed one of the engineering kits to his colleague and friend Lieutenant JG Todd Hewitt. “Look, Todd.” Hawksley rubbed the back of his neck as he checked through his diagnostic padd. They had left engineering and were now on their way with kits to deck 08. “I spoke to Chief Taggart. She wants us to check the lines, see any possible data node faults.”
On Deck 08, Todd was the first to unlatch the ODN route panel. “Let’s take a look in, shall we?”
Flashing his work light on the lines, Hawksley toggled through the varying phase discriminators to bring up line sensitivity issues. “I’ve seen this before on the USS Trenton. Not hard a fix.” Brandon had taken out one of his red lollipops and popped it in. The white stick out of his mouth as he rolled it inside his mouth. His eyes can concentrate on his task much better.
“Todd. Check my code input. LCAR subset 119-03-A.” Leland asked.
After a few moments, Todd held out his hand.
Hawksley furrowed his brow. “What?”
Todd then lent his hand in a give me motion. “You’ve got more stashed in there, Hawker!” Todd had grunted. Leland slapped a sucker into Todd’s demand.
“Yup. She looks not bad. The coding looks quiet… Unique.” Todd sucked and then winked.
“Psshhhh!!!” Brandon tapped his com badge as he uploaded the changes and fixes to the ODN route line on Deck 08. “Unique. You’re just jealous.”
=/\= Hawksley to Chief Taggert =/\=
=/\=Taggert here, go ahead Hawksley, =/\= Taggert replied from the bridge, having already replaced an isolinear bank with subprocessor.
=/\= Todd and I secured a fix for the ODN route line. Some overlapping phase variances needed re-insulating. She should be all good up on your end, Ma’am. =/\=
=/\=Good work Hawksley, =/\= Nicci smiled as she wiped a little sweat off her brow, climbing out from under the engineering console. Her gratitude showed in her voice . =/\=I'll order a diagnostic and hopefully that flickering from that sensor palette we were registering will be gone. With this down time we can get in what repairs we need before SHTF. =/\=
She was trying to stop now before she started ripping out the bridge paneling herself to verify every connection and plasma conduit. She didn't want a console exploding in her face and sending her flying across the bridge. Nicci took a breath, sat, and began the diagnostic.
=^= Understood. Hawksley out =^=
Hawksley had immediately cleared the com with the Chief, as he sharply pointed at various officers he needed. “I need you, you, and you.” The crew members, chief petty senior officer, and ensign nodded, Leland, leading the three to the Engineering lockers.
Rather jogging. Leland jogged with his team until he reached the outer engineering locker doors. He was taping in the entrance coding, and entering. Hawksley pulled out his engineering padd and then his tricorder. The tricorder had control of the leading computer link for the engineering storage.
“I need Thomas, Rankin, you two to tag the cartage….” Hawksley held his tricorder upward; his required list had highlighted into the hardware locations. The storages deck is large and vastly complex.
“Acknowledged.” The crewman went to work. “Anders..” He waved, “Come here.” Leland stood in place and cleared his throat. Before showing the Ensign the padd. “Ok. Beam the crates to deck 13. Storage pad 02, just outside the ODN junction trunks. We’re going to access the primary core iso linear insulator matrix….” Leland then glanced at his silver wrist-chronometer. The actions were routine, yet enough to warrant quick attention, but nothing that would harm the core, as computer safeguards were cascading levels. He was simply an Engineer; he was only working on the framework, not the body.
Deck 13
Leland arrived at Deck 13 and entered the primary ODN junction trunk on deck 13 near the section 02 transport padds. The engineering tools had been unpacked and set up in the core room…
Further having finished the computer updates to the matrix, the isolators fix and variance updates to the ODN and Isolinear network.
=^= Hawksley and Team Chief Taggart. Ma’am. We’ve updated some systems work on those iso linear insulators on deck 13. The computer ODN junctions should relay. Anyways, back to the to-do list-“ =^=
Leland had chuckled. He could hear the Chief grin as well since she was working the same repair lists, he was sure.
=/\=Good work Hawksley, =/\= she replied. =/\=I'll let Tjaansz know to start her repairs and diagnostics now that that's done=/\=
----
- BRIDGE -
Matt was on science one the telemetry was indeed coming through and he was running an initial planetary survey. Mr Silver was turning out to be a great science officer.
Dodd got the drone data and it was not as he expected. The culture had rapidly excelled in their technology which means they are a smart race and learned to adapt the Federation technology that the observation team had with them. Their media broadcasts were on par with late twentieth century Earth. The pollution in the atmosphere was moderate but contained hydrocarbons and they were too high for a natural level, so that means there were likely hydrocarbon engines in use. The data also showed there was a rich blending of the ancient Earth cultures and ethnic traits, so that was leading Dodd to think the civilization was unified.
This was a change in what what to happen. Dodd then had to rearrange the thinking for the mission on the surface. He needed to retrieve any survivors of the observation team if they should still be alive. He needed to retrieve any technology that they could and that also means limiting the advancement of future technology or at least slowing the pace of the advancements.
The away team would remain the same personnel and the concept would be to have the team break into three smaller teams on the surface. They would all be beamed down to areas just outside the major city's perimeters to help avoid detection and with concealed tricorders and simple weapons for the skills of the crew member.
Dodd now had to determine the cause of the advancement in the technology and figure out a means to contain it and restore proper order to a planet that should not have even been this evolved.
Cahill stepped off the Turbolift and on the Bridge. She took her seat next to Dodd in the XO seat. "I received the information from the drones and sent information to everyone on the landing party. I also sent pictures showing how they are dressing we fit in better.
One thing I did notice they are not wearing swords like the last report that came in for us. I also noticed they are carrying more firearms now too. similar to the ones from our 1920's. Not sure from there what else has changed. I have set myself med kits up to better treat the firearms wounds.
Also, we will send anyone wounded back to the Tomcat to be treated. It will be easier to treat them here on the Tomcat. And not draw a lot of attention to ourselves too."
"Are you sure you are not telepathic, doctor?" Dodd stated to Cahill. "It is as if you knew what I was going to ask for and reacted to a request I never made out loud. Great to have you in the same frequency for this mission. Yes, we can do the best by getting our wounded out of site and them beaming them back to the ship if needed. But I want the material worn by the away team to be a projectile proof as possible from what we can determine for the data. I will ask that the away team keep a constant transporter lock with the ship. I will ask that you keep a constant communications channel open between you and Jackson so the two of you can coordinate the away team after you split up. Lieutenant Lee will need to get to the observation post to do a gathering of what studies the observation team had done and see what went wrong and then that should help her figure out if any survivors on on the surface and help figure out where to best look for them. I am certain that a member of the observation team my be the one that fueled the advancement of technology. Be very careful." Dodd stated to Cahill.
Cahill replied, "You know me, Commander Dodd. I review all intelligence for every mission prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I did some research on a 20th Century material called Kevlar. It appears to stop most projectiles but does leave a nasty bruise on their body for a few days. It can be worn under our clothing and kept out of sight. But there is little to protect the head short of a Helmet and it would be too much of an attention grabber to wear helmets walking around wearing them."
“We could start a new fashion trend,” Silver suggested.
"We could but we should not stand out too much more than we already will." Dodd replied with a little grin as he liked to be trendy. "I think the more subtle the better, but the addition of the Kevlar should be enough to add protection and yet blend in with the attire of the culture."
“You're correct. Although it might be a good idea to check the latest fashion trend. For all we know they may be wearing hats. If we turned up down there and we were the only ones. Not wearing any head gear that would stand out.” Ted explained
Then Dodd got word that the drones were still collecting data and he ordered that the drones continue as they could be left in action and help keep tabs on the away team.
"Doctor, I still want all the people on the away team to have subdermal transponders so we can monitor them and beam them back if needed." Dodd, stated. "That is doable, correct Doc?"
"It is and can be done in the Transporter room when we prepare to beam down. It will only take a couple of minutes to do. Plus if someone cannot contact us due to being captured as well the Tomcat can beam them out." Cahill replied. "Also was thinking, could Engineering place a locking device on our equipment to allow us to recover it if it was taken by the people on the planet?" Cahill added.
"That makes a good idea. Let's get biometric locks on our gear so only Federation personnel can access the gear." Dodd responded. "I am glad you are thinking outside the box, Doc."
Just trying to stay ahead of any problems we may have to come up. We never know what will happen during an away mission.
"Wait, you want me on the mission to the planet?" Nicci asked, surprised. "I've got a lot up here on my plate. I need to recalibrate the phase variances of the warp coils..."
"I certainly want my top engineers on this mission to help determine the extent of the technology on this planet. You and Hawksley will be down there. Please be on different team when you break up for the mission tasks. I know you will enjoy this mission as it should be a nice change of pace compared to your last away team mission. Besides you would likely enjoy the retro element this planet has to offer." Dodd replied.
She knew he was right and if she were being honest, she was letting the zombie attack on the last planet affect her decision. She hated that feeling of being overpowered, of helplessness, but this was a completely different situation, and Dodd knew what she was capable of. "I understand sir," she said with a nod in reply. "I've got some covert mission gear with extra embedded sensors that can help. Haven't worn it in years, but it should still fit. I'll do my best down there."
"I have no doubt you will rock this mission. I am also certain that Tjaansz and Nelson will do a terrific job holding the ship together while you are planet-side. Also, while you are down there, see if you can talk to locals about their use of technology and how it has helped them get to where they are today without being too awkward in asking." Dodd added. "No go, the away team will want to depart in about ten minutes."
Dodd dismissed his engineer from the bridge and had her join the away team.
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[OFF]
Lieutenant Commander Remington S. Dodd
Executive Officer (Acting Captain)
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant Commander Alexanderia Cahill
2XO/Chief Medical Officer
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant Matt Thompson
Chief Science Officer
USS Tomcat NCC-62114
Lieutenant Alexandra Lee (NPC: Dodd)
Anthropology/Archeology Specialist
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant Lamia Arderne
Chief Counselor
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant (JG) Ted Silver
Deputy Chief Science Officer
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant (JG) Nicole Taggert
Chief Engineer
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant (JG) Leland Hawksley
Deputy Chief Engineering Officer
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
Lieutenant (JG) Paul Winchester
Chief of Security
USS Tomcat, NCC 62114
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