ST:MAC107 | "The Gamekeeper Part 1"

Following the MacAlpines departure from Starbase 84 and it's reentry into Sector Alpha-7200, the MacAlpine drops out of warp within the HD 17926 system to survey it.

While conducting scans of the system the MacAlpine dectects an ancient ship drifting through the asteroid belt, upon sending an away team over to the ship, not all is as it seemed.

---

Fiona@falconecoose: ((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6Zrk-WZFE))

Fiona@falconecoose: --Previously on Star Trek MacAlpine--

Fiona@falconecoose: --After spending time docked with Starbase 84 while the MacAlpine completes repairs, restocks and Captain Skye receives specialist care__

Fiona@falconecoose: __the MacAlpine returns to its mission of exploration, a few days after departing SB84 the MacAlpine crosses out of the Doza sector and into Alpha-7200--

Helm@falconecoose: "Captain, we are approaching HD 17926. Ready to drop out on your mark."

Luna@falconecoose: "Copy that, mark."

Fiona@falconecoose <FX> The MacAlpine drops out of warp just inside the HD 17926 system, the system had been previously surveyed at range by the early Federation exploration into the region.

Luna@falconecoose turns to look over at Septah "Anything on sensors?"

Septah@annpc#5570 taps his console, checking the sensor readings.

Septah@annpc#5570: "Reading an N Class, a K class and a P class planet as well as two asteroid belts in orbit of a Class A star."

Luna@falconecoose: "Copy that, keep me informed if we pick anything else up. Helm, take us in."

Septah@annpc#5570 nods, "I will keep you updated, Commander."

Septah@annpc#5570 keeps his eyes on the sensor readings.

Fiona@falconecoose <FX> The MacAlpine moves further into the system, running further scans on the system while they do so before the sensors suddenly flash red

Septah@annpc#5570 taps his console, checking what's shown up.

Luna@annpc#5570: "We have an unidentified object emerging from the inner asteroid belt. It seems to be at least the size of a large cruiser."

Septah@annpc#5570: "The mineral contents of the asteroids must be interfering with our sensors. Afraid I can't get much more information on that. Don't even know if it's a ship or something else."

Luna@falconecoose: "On screen."

Septah@annpc#5570 tries to magnify as much as possible.

[10:22] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> With the hull cameras focusing on the contact, and enhancing, and enhancing they are able to make out what does indeed look to be a ship, or what is left of one.

[10:23] Fiona@falconecoose: <FX> As the contact moves further out of the asteroid belt and the MA moves closer the sensors will be able to get a better read on it

[10:23] Septah@annpc#5570: "Or a wreckage. Scanning for lifesigns..."

[10:26] Septah@annpc#5570: "I see them. Over a hundred lifesigns. All seem to be in the one area still emanating power signatures."

[10:27] Septah@annpc#5570: "Rest of the ship is most likely offline, power conservation or perhaps damage and deterioration."

[10:28] Luna@falconecoose | Luna rubs her chin slightly at this info "If that is the only place they have power, it is unlikely they will have comms equipment working...Would we be able to beam a team over to the ship?"

[10:29] Septah@annpc#5570 checks for transporter interference.

[10:30] Septah@annpc#5570: "No sign of any interference. Transporters should function."

[10:33] Fiona@falconecoose | Luna pauses to think for a moment while she looks over at Septah "Good...I want an away team readied, Lt. You lead the main team, I will give a security detail attached for you."

[10:34] Septah@annpc#5570 nods, "Making my way to the transporter room now, Commander."

[10:34] Luna@falconecoose: "Take care, and god speed Lt."

--Away Mission--

[10:38] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> Along with the small away team, which includes 2 NPCs, there is a 4 person security team to go along with them all standing ready to go.

[10:39] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 glances at the away team, doing a final check on her wrist PADD before turning to Septah. "Lt Steele, reporting sir. Away team assembled and ready to go on your order."

[10:40] Septah@annpc#5570: "Excellent. We don't know the situation there but the state of their ship is not good. Expect lots of wounded and possible confusion."

[10:40] Septah@annpc#5570: "Communicate clearly and don't look threatening. In their situation, they might think we're a boarding party or perhaps looters."

[10:41] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 "Afirm sir, I have basic field medical training but the medical officer should be able to provide any assistance required." at his mention the medical officer crouching down over their bag gives a slight wave before finishing repacking the bag.

[10:42] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702: "And as you say, sir."

[10:42] Septah@annpc#5570 nods, "Good. Let's get going then."

[10:43] Septah@annpc#5570 steps onto the transporter pad.

[10:43] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 nods before she waves the away team forward before stepping onto the transporter pad

[10:43] Septah@annpc#5570 nods to the transporter officer, "Energize when ready."

[10:44] Transporter Op@hawkecosse#4702 "Energising...now." With that they press a few buttons and the transporter begins the cycle...and they then dematerialise from the MacAlpines transporter pad.

[10:56] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> Calypso and Septah materialise on what looks like a beach, even with the feel of the wind and the smell of the sea on the air

[10:57] Septah@annpc#5570 glances around, "This is not what I expected from the sensor readings..."

[10:58] Septah@annpc#5570 checks his tricorder, "A holodeck, perhaps?"

[10:58] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 glances around the area "Agreed, this is not what the sensor readings indicated...also there only appears to be two of us, Sir."

[10:59] Septah@annpc#5570: "Other transporter beams might've been blocked. Or perhaps we were redirected elsewhere. Not unheard of."

[10:59] Septah@annpc#5570 taps his combadge, "Lieutenant Septah to MacAlpine."

[11:00] MA@falconecoose <C> "MacAlpine here, what is it Lieutenant?"

[11:01] Septah@annpc#5570: <C> "Do you have a read on our position?"

[11:01] MA@falconecoose: <C> "Afirm, we have you and Lt. Steele on the ship."

[11:02] Septah@annpc#5570: <C> "What about the rest of the team? We don't see them anywhere."

[11:03] MA@falconecoose: <C> "What team? We just sent you two to investigate this ship."

[11:03] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 glances at Septah at this with a slightly raised eyebrow

[11:05] Septah@annpc#5570: <C> "Are there no other lifesigns on the ship?"

[11:05] MA@falconecoose: <C> "Just you two and the passengers."

[11:08] Septah@annpc#5570: <C> "Passengers. Yes. Of course."

[11:09] Septah@annpc#5570 looks to Calypso, "If this is some form of simulation, it is not unfeasible that they are simulating our tricorder results and our communications with the ship as well."

[11:09] MA@falconecoose: <C> "Of course, continue to investigate. MacAlpine Out."

[11:10] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 nods slightly "That does seem likely, that also means the rest of the away team is in a similar situation then. What do you recommend for our course of action Sir? Do we play along or?"

[11:12] Septah@annpc#5570: "For the moment. We don't even know what this is yet. When we know more, should be easier to break out if we need to."

[11:13] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702: "Makes sense, I will follow your lead sir."

[11:14] Septah@annpc#5570: "We are explorers, after all. Let's explore."

[11:14] Septah@annpc#5570 picks a direction and starts walking, checking his tricorder in the meantime to see what it tells him of the surroundings.

[11:17] Septah@annpc#5570: "Seems to be a very temperate Class-M world. Nothing spectacular about it. Why choose this setting, I wonder? The creators' homeworld?"

[11:17] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> While they walk they would both experience brief flashes of bright light in the corners of their vision along with faint images of what looks like a small garden with rows of metal pods imposed on top of their vision

[11:18] Septah@annpc#5570: "Are you seeing this as well, Lieutenant?"

[11:18] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702: "If by 'this' you mean a weird image of a garden looking place...then yes, yes I am, Sir."

[11:19] Septah@annpc#5570: "Seems to support virtual reality theory. Question is what they are trying to achieve."

[11:19] Septah@annpc#5570 keeps walking.

[11:20] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702: "It does seem that way...but why the images? Is the system failing? Or is it our brains rejecting the system now that know it is fake?"

[11:21] Septah@annpc#5570: "Either is possible. Seeing the state of the ship before we arrived, would not be surprised if the systems are heavily deteriorated."

[11:23] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> After an image that lasts longer than before there is a bright spike of lightning arcing down and hitting the ground in front of them.

[11:24] Keeper@falconecoose | Once the after image had cleared a person would be visible pacing backwards and forwards "No, no...why now...can't be happening..."

[11:25] Septah@annpc#5570: "Interesting."

[11:25] Septah@annpc#5570 approaches the person cautiously.

[11:26] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 follows slightly further behind

[11:26] Septah@annpc#5570: "Excuse me? Do you know where we are?"

[11:26] Keeper@falconecoose keeps pacing and muttering to himself before they suddenly stop and look at Septah and Calypso "You! This all started after you and your people arrived!"

[11:28] Septah@annpc#5570: "What started, exactly?"

[11:29] Keeper@falconecoose gestures around, rather unhelpfully "All this! Everything was fine until you had to go and poke your nose in where it wasn't wanted and then start trying to break everything!"

[11:31] Septah@annpc#5570: "The strange overlapping visions? Or do you mean something else?"

[11:32] Keeper@falconecoose glares at Septah for a moment "Of course I meant the overlapping visions! What did you think I meant, the lovely seaside that I spent so long making for my charges was the problem?"

[11:34] Septah@annpc#5570: "Ah. You must be the one who created this simulation, then. Apologies for disrupting you."

[11:34] Septah@annpc#5570 pauses for a moment before continuing, "You are aware of the state the exterior of your vessel is in?"

[11:35] Keeper@falconecoose: "You have disrupted everything! With all the trouble your people are causing it will make my charges to wake up and then they will ruin the garden I have spent so long making!"

[11:37] Septah@annpc#5570: "What trouble /are/ we causing, exactly? Do you refer to the other members of our team?"

[11:37] Septah@annpc#5570: "Or is our presence in your system enough to cause a disturbance?"

[11:38] Keeper@falconecoose: "Who else would be resisting this paradise I have created for my charges to live in forever. Your presence alone is not enough, but your people are actively trying to resist me...need to stop them..."

[11:39] Septah@annpc#5570: "I expect they are trying to exit. /Is/ there anyway to peacefully exit this...paradise of yours?"

[11:40] Keeper@falconecoose the being seems to start talking to them self again for a moment "Only one way...has to be done...unavoidable but it will send a message...will have to reroute power...calculations check out..."

[11:41] Septah@annpc#5570: "Is there a way to exit? I am sure the other members of our team simply seek to return to the ship."

[11:41] Keeper@falconecoose: "There is no exit, why would you want to leave anyway it's a paradise that can be anything you want. And with the memories from your team I have created a whole new set of environments for you all."

[11:43] Keeper@falconecoose | gestures to their left where a set of large screens appear, one showing the MacAlpine and the other showing the outside of the ship "You want your ship, here you go!"

[11:43] Luna@falconecoose <C> "MacAlpine to away team, does anyone copy...I say again, Away team, does anyone copy?"

[11:43] Septah@annpc#5570: <C> "Commander, we read you."

[11:44] Luna@falconecoose | <C> "Thought we had lost you there for a moment, what is your situation? We lost contact with you as soon as you beamed over."

[11:47] Septah@annpc#5570: <C> "We seem to be in a simulation. Uncertain for what purpose. Perhaps to shelter survivors on this ship, but merely speculation at this point. Do you detect the other members of the team?"

[11:48] Luna@falconecoose: <C> "Afirm we do, you all seem to be grouped close together...wait, what's that? Weapons where?"

[11:49] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> The video of the outside of the ship would show a number of turrets emerging from the hull along with a larger cannon as well, they would be rotating to track the MA

[11:49] Luna@falconecoose: <C> "Red alert! Helm, get us moving! Hold on away team, prepare for emergency tran..."

[11:50] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> The communication is cut off when suddenly all the weapons fire, beams of energy arc from their barrels to the MacAlpine. The MA takes direct hits from all the weapons, which blast holes through the hull in multiple places, with both of the nacelles drifting away from the hull, the image of the crippled MA hovers there for a moment before the warp core detonates sending a shock wave that can be felt by everyone on the other ship.

[11:53] Septah@annpc#5570 looks back to the person inside the simulation, "Clever attempt to fool us into staying. But desperate. We already know you control reality here. Why should we believe anything you show us?"

[11:53] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 is in shock as she watches the MacAlpine get blasted out of the sky before her common sense resets it self.

[11:55] Keeper@falconecoose glances at Septah "Does it ever get tiring trying to act so smart? Believe your own eyes or not, it's up to you but either way no help is coming for you. I will at least give you your team back."

[11:55] Fiona@falconecoose <FX> Around them the rest of the away team appear before the being they were talking to vanishes

[11:56] Septah@annpc#5570: "At least we are making progress."

[11:56] Calypso@hawkecosse#4702 glances at the rest of the away team "That we are sir...but what now?"

[11:59] Septah@annpc#5570: "That being mentioned having charges. Think it is truly trying to protect its people, or another attempt to play us?"