ST:SoD113 | "Containment"

Stardate 98969.1

The Valley Forge discovers an ancient trap when investigating an old distress signal and slowly begin to realize it is not the trap they should fear, but what it is trying to keep inside...

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Keliaya@anncaris FX | The Valley Forge cruises past the screen, warp streaks dashing by beside it as the ship travels Keliaya@anncaris | Keelah: "Captain's Log, stardate 98968.4. The Valley Forge has picked up a decades old distress call from a Corporate vessel. While it's unlikely that there are any survivors after all this - Keliaya@anncaris - time, we are diverting course to investigate on the off chance that there is someone to rescue. And if not, to investigate why this beacon is still broadcasting." Keliaya@anncaris | Keelah is seated in the captain's chair, with the bridge crew at work around her Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "ETA one minute till we enter sensor range. Cap'n." Keelah@crystyl nods, sitting up and looking ahead Keliaya@anncaris | As the ship begins to enter sensor range, Lennie immediately notices something unusual. What seemed to her to initially be a mid-system asteroid belt is nowhere near spread out enough to be - Keliaya@anncaris - a natural asteroid belt. It seems more like the remains of a destroyed planet, and it's littered with remnants of ships as well Keelah@crystyl | The ship begins to slow down, the nearer they get Keelah@crystyl | Mia: "She wants to initiate yellow alert mon Capitaine" Keelah@crystyl:"She is right to be wary, but we shall not jump ahead of ourselves" Keelah@crystyl | Lennie: "I know, ya want answers. An' you'll-a hav 'em soon as I got some for ya" Keelah@crystyl smiles contentedly Keliaya@anncaris steps over to the Engineering console as they enter sensor range as well Keliaya@anncaris:"I'm seeing a lot of Progenitor tech among the asteroid field...or planetary debris. That's interesting..." Keelah@crystyl:"Progenitor technology is always interesting. Are we looking at a former colony of theirs?" Keliaya@anncaris:"It's not the Progenitor tech, it's the other ships around it. They're all over the place- Corporate, Rider, Lupan, as well as unidentified ones going back thousands of years. They certainly didn't - Keliaya@anncaris - go down in one large confrontation with each other. In fact most of the ships don't even have any outward signs of damage. They're just dead and adrift." Keelah@crystyl:"Helm, keep our distance for now. This is definitely suspicious" Keliaya@anncaris | Ann nods, "Aye Cap'n." Keelah@crystyl | Lennie: "Cap'n, I'm-a seein' lifesigns. Nothin' familiar, an' there ain't no power signatures out there t'work any life support" Keelah@crystyl perks a brow, "Kelly, can you tell anything from those derelicts?" Keliaya@anncaris shakes her head, "There's no pattern to them at all. Just a collection of ships as diverse as what we have in the Sphere right now. There's some debris, a number of the ships were destroyed, but - Keliaya@anncaris - the majority are just derelict with no sign of damage." Keliaya@anncaris | Eva: "I've located where the Corporate distress call is coming from. It's not any of the Corporate ships, but one of the Progenitor constructs." Keelah@crystyl:"What about these lifesign readings where there is no supporting energy signature?" Keliaya@anncaris:"They seem to be concentrated in or around the Progenitor constructs, but there's others just on lifeless asteroids, or even floating between them. Must be a form of cosmozoan." Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "Maybe they're pirates? Pirate cosmozoans? Lurin' folks in with distress signals, then suckin' the ship dry o' energy." Keelah@crystyl:"So they are not coming from the derelicts? If they are cosmozoans, could be they are responsible - intentionally or otherwise" Keliaya@anncaris | Eva: "I can direct a message towards the Progenitor structure they're broadcasting the distress call from. They might not be able to communicate, or even be the ones responsible for setting up - Keliaya@anncaris - the call, but it's worth a try." Keelah@crystyl:"Proceed. We have to start somewhere with this" Keliaya@anncaris | Eva nods and starts tapping away at her console Keliaya@anncaris:"I've identified one Progenitor construct that I can discern the purpose of. It's a large-scale shield generator, like the one on Tiah's planet, or the deflector dish of the Progenitor shield ship." Keliaya@anncaris:"The generator doesn't seem to be operational anymore, and it's swarming with those lifeforms." Keelah@crystyl | Lennie: "Feedin' off th'energy or somethin' perhaps?" Keliaya@anncaris:"It could be. All the Progenitor structures the lifesigns are on have become non-functional, with the exception of the one broadcasting the Corporate distress call." Keliaya@anncaris | Eva: "No response so far from them..." Keelah@crystyl:"Could we configure a probe to emit a similar energy signature to the Progenitor tech?" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "We can. I'll ask Thorkildsen to get on it immediately." Keelah@crystyl:"Launch when ready" Keliaya@anncaris | Eva meanwhile closes her eyes, "I think pirate cosmozoans might not be far off the mark. I can sense a raw, primal hunger coming from the debris field." Keelah@crystyl:"Perhaps the ship's sense to raise alert status was not so far off the mark..." Keelah@crystyl | Rianni: "Is... that an order to do so Captain?" Keelah@crystyl:"No, for all we know activating shields could draw this... primal hunger to us. But stand ready and do so at the first sign of anything untoward" Keliaya@anncaris taps on her console, "Launching the probe now." Keliaya@anncaris | A probe darts out from the VF, venturing into the planetary debris field ahead Keliaya@anncaris:"No discernible change in movement from the lifesigns..." Keelah@crystyl:"Take it in close for a detailed analysis then" Keliaya@anncaris nods and taps on the console some more, "The probe's power is being drained. The source seems to be the still functional Progenitor structures." Keliaya@anncaris:"The more the probe is being moved, the stronger the drain. And the energy is being converted into radiation. These Progenitor structures are a form of aceton assimilator." Keelah@crystyl | Lennie: "Huh, th'critters're scatterin' away from tha' radiation" Keelah@crystyl:"Alright, stop the probe. We don't need to disturb them more than necessary" Keliaya@anncaris:"Stopping the probe now. It's still being drained, but slower. Should I power it down completely?" Keelah@crystyl:"Yes, disable it" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "The probe is down." Keelah@crystyl | Mia: "We have library files available on previous Starfleet encounters with these fields" Keelah@crystyl:"Good to know, but I have no intention of taking us into that field" Keliaya@anncaris steps over to Mia's console, "How similar are they to what we're looking at now?" Keelah@crystyl | Mia: "Difficult to say without precise scans of the generators, but definitely comparable" Keliaya@anncaris:"Maybe these critters are taking down the Progenitor generators because the radiation is harming them. And the aceton generators are probably what took out the other ships, not the cosmozoans." Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "But why'd the Progenitors build somethin' like tha'?" Keliaya@anncaris | Eva: "A trap for the Horde, perhaps?" Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "But we're no longer in former Horde territory. If they haven't spread here before they were destroyed, they must've been a long way off durin' the time o' the Progenitors." Keelah@crystyl:"Possible. But why would the creatures stay here and try to fight the conditions instead of simply leavving? Keliaya@anncaris:"Maybe they couldn't..." Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "As in, they ain't warp capable?" Keelah@crystyl:"Still, one would expect them find a way to leave a habitat that was no longer viable" Keliaya@anncaris:"That's one possibility, but I was looking at the shield generator. Other traps like this in Mia's records never have a shield structure, it relies on the aceton generators to keep the ships from - Keliaya@anncaris - escaping. It could be an added safeguard to make sure whoever is trapped can't get out, but it doesn't make much sense still. Against a typical enemy it might be effective, but even if Horde - Keliaya@anncaris - ships caught in here are destroyed, the rest of the Horde will know it's a trap and avoid it thanks to their shared memory. It's too big of an investment for barely any effectiveness." Keliaya@anncaris:"It's more likely the shield was there to keep something /inside/ from the start, rather than prevent trapped ships from escaping." Keelah@crystyl:"Another form of prison like the one we found the Architect in perhaps?" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "Exactly. But the shield generator is down now, and these lifeforms are systematically taking out the aceton generators. Maybe they haven't broken free yet, but it's looking like they're - Keliaya@anncaris - in the process of doing so. Seeing what happened with the Architect, I don't think we want what the Progenitors have locked up to have free reign in the galaxy..." Keelah@crystyl:"Why do I get the feeling that you're telling me we need to take on yet more cosmozoan hitchhikers..." Keliaya@anncaris:"That depends on what exactly these things are." Keliaya@anncaris | Eva: "The facility that's broadcasting the distress signal now, I think it might originally be configured for communications as well. If this is actually a prison, that might be a warning buoy - Keliaya@anncaris - or something along those lines. If we can get to it, we might be able to have a better idea of what we're dealing with." Keelah@crystyl:"So then how do we get to it without going in there?" Keliaya@anncaris | Ann taps her console, "Lookin' at all the generators that're down, we've got a clear passage to that comm facility. It's not gonna be an easy flight though, and I think we'll have better luck - Keliaya@anncaris - in somethin' smaller. A runabout could make the trip." Keliaya@anncaris:"But a runabout's ill-equipped if something goes wrong and it does get caught, or if there's trouble from the critters. Could QanwI' make it?" Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "With good flyin', yeah." Keelah@crystyl:"A shadow of doubt over QanwI's pilot?" she smirks a little Keliaya@anncaris | Ann: "Depends on which one's in service. Rumour is tha' Cap'n Vix got a habit o' relievin' 'em o' duty." Keelah@crystyl:"One would like to think that the pilot who pulled off that crazy stunt she became famous for has lived to tell the tale. If you want to volunteer of course, it's only Captain Vix you need to - Keelah@crystyl:- convince. And her pilot..." Keliaya@anncaris:"If that pilot could fly through a hangar, I think they can handle this. But we probably should bring some of our personnel along to check the comm facility and what data it holds." Keelah@crystyl nods, "Definitely. Lennie, Eva, you're up" Keliaya@anncaris | Eva nods, and heads over towards the turbolift Keelah@crystyl | Lennie joins her Keliaya@anncaris steps over towards the lift as well, looking to Lennie, "We've got some time before the QanwI' gets here. Come with me, Commander." Keelah@crystyl | Lennie gives her a curious tilt of her head and nods, "Lead on!" Keliaya@anncaris joins Eva and Lennie in the lift --- Keliaya@anncaris | After Eva disembarks on an upper deck, Lennie and Kelly reach their destination on one of the lower decks of the ship, where Kelly steps out to lead the way Keliaya@anncaris:"You're still not comfortable in EV suits, right?" Lendaria@crystyl:"No. Why...?" Keliaya@anncaris:"Well, I didn't see any environment within the debris field, not even on the Progenitor facilities. Maybe they just haven't been activated, but if that's the case, you're still going to have to - Keliaya@anncaris - beam over with suits on." Lendaria@crystyl grumbles Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "I'm hoping this might help." She stops at a door labeled 'Armoury' but not the one she took Emma to last time. She taps on the panel beside the door and it slides open Keliaya@anncaris | The armoury looks more or less the same as the others, only this one has several closed alcoves built into either side. Kelly steps over to the ones on the right Lendaria@crystyl:"If ya plannin' on lockin' me in a cupboard, I'm-a beamin' straight out. Fair warnin'" Keliaya@anncaris:"What? Of course not! That would be the exact opposite of helping." Lendaria@crystyl:"Depends on the school o'thought. But I do agree in this instance. So what's ya plan?" Keliaya@anncaris steps over to tap on the panel beside an alcove, "You remember one of the side projects we had was building a makeshift Regulator suit using our own technology, to see how many Regulator - Keliaya@anncaris - capabilities we could recreate through creative use of what we have at hand?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Oh yeah, been a while since I thought on tha'" Keliaya@anncaris:"That's probably because it's no longer entirely my project, and it was being developed on the Sphere instead of here on the ship. I still gave plenty of input on it, but it was a Coalition effort - Keliaya@anncaris - and I guess in some way it was the predecessor to the joint shipbuilding project Pia and Mana is working on now. But anyways, that's a tangent!" Keliaya@anncaris FX | The alcove slides open to reveal: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_xAnl7BSBQ/VoH0TLXgN_I/AAAAAAAAtvU/486hZXyzliY/s1600/IMG_2887.JPG Keliaya@anncaris:"This is the Mark II Coalition Combat Exosuit." Lendaria@crystyl gives an impressed whistle, "Fancy. But I still don't see how ya think this'll help" Keliaya@anncaris:"After this became a Coalition-wide effort, we had assistance from Marta Okataya of the Latenter, another Forged Earth representative, as well as the Regulators themselves. They didn't give us any - Keliaya@anncaris - of their technology, but they nudged our work in the right direction. Unlike the Mark I, this is truly neural link controlled. You won't feel like you're wearing a suit at all. The suit will - Keliaya@anncaris - feel as natural as your own skin. Well, to you anyways, to anyone else they'll still feel high-grade tritanium," she chuckles Lendaria@crystyl:"So it'd feel like flyin' Jenni's ship?" Keliaya@anncaris:"Yes, except it's considerably less disorientating since the suit is just a layer outside your own body. You'll feel the different weight while you're moving of course, but you'll intuitively know - Keliaya@anncaris - how to walk and use your arms and hands and all that. Not unlike when I switched bodies with Eva. The balance is a little different, but it's still familiar at its core." Keliaya@anncaris:"I don't know if it'll help or not, but I thought it was worth a try." Lendaria@crystyl:"I appreciate it Kel! I know I'll-a still be uneasy bein' closed in like tha', jus' knowin' it's enough. But... maybe the perceptive trickery'll soften th'blow" Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "That's my hope. As long as it's not worse than a usual suit, I'd still suggest you keep it on. Eva has a bad feeling about these lifeforms." Lendaria@crystyl:"Eva an' mah gut're in agreement. Goddess, even th'ship agrees!" she chuckles, "But we gotta do wha' we gotta do" Keliaya@anncaris chuckles and nods, stepping over to a replicator in the room. She slides in an isolinear chip and some neatly folded clothes form in the slot Lendaria@crystyl watches curiously Keliaya@anncaris retrieves the clothes and looks over to Lennie, "You're okay with change rooms, right? They're larger than a closet." Lendaria@crystyl:"Ooh, tha's for me too?" Keliaya@anncaris nods, handing it over to Lennie, "It's a Regulator undersuit tailored to your proportions from your latest medical examination. It's not advanced technology so the Regulators had no problem - Keliaya@anncaris - giving us their patterns. The suits don't have to be designed to a wearer's exact size, as long as they’re not too small or overly large, but the undersuit does need to be exact." Keliaya@anncaris gestures to the alcoves on the other side of the ones with the suits, "The change rooms are there. Take everything off, the undersuit is meant to go directly on your skin." Lendaria@crystyl:"Ooh fun!" she smiles, heading off to change Keliaya@anncaris waits outside patiently, tapping on a PADD Lendaria@crystyl steps back out a few minutes later, "Ya weren't kiddin' bout it bein' a snug fit" Keliaya@anncaris smirks, "You look good in it though, Lennie! The fit helps the suit systems tailor itself to you." She steps over back to the suit Lendaria@crystyl takes a deep breath, "Aight, so... how's this work now?" Keliaya@anncaris taps on the panel again and the suit spins around, revealing that the back is completely empty. She reaches up and removes the helmet from the suit, "Just step in and the body of the suit will - Keliaya@anncaris - close around you. We haven't integrated the helmets into the process yet because our neural link technology depends on it being one whole unmoving piece, but we might add a robotic arm to the - Keliaya@anncaris - storage to make it easier. You can move the suit without the neural link, but it's a bit unwieldy." Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "For this time I'll put the helmet on for you." Lendaria@crystyl takes a few deep breaths, "Aight, we can do this..." she gingerly begins stepping in, closing her eyes once she can feel her way Keliaya@anncaris | Once Lennie steps all the way in, the suit closes around her, encasing her inside. Kelly reaches up with the helmet and slides it over Lennie's head. As the helmet locks with the rest of the - Keliaya@anncaris - suit, the neural link kicks in... Lendaria@crystyl grimaces and whimpers, mostly with the thought that she's actually willingly doing this, "Is... it over?" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "You can step out of the alcove now. Take it slow though- remember, your body balance is going to be a little different with the suit on." Lendaria@crystyl opens one eye, looking around before opening the other and trying to move. She starts by raising one hand, then the other and turning them over before her eyes Keliaya@anncaris | She sees the armour enclosed hand, but moving it doesn't feel like she's moving an EV suit, let alone an armoured suit. Due to the added weight and size, the hand doesn't move exactly like she - Keliaya@anncaris - is used to, but she can't feel the added weight at all, or the sensation of her skin on the glove. For all her mind knows, the armoured hand is now her hand Lendaria@crystyl:"Goddess, this's so weird..." she turns to face Kelly, a little clumsy but not worryingly so Keliaya@anncaris looks up at the now even taller Lennie, "Is it any better than a normal EV suit?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Well it definitely ain't no worse so far" she observes, looking around Keliaya@anncaris steps back, "Try walking around, see how it feels and if you can get used to the feeling Lendaria@crystyl starts to walk around a little, slowly getting used to it, "It's weird... I know it's there an' I can feel th'weight an' all. But also... not at th'same time" Keliaya@anncaris:"Keep walking around, like you're trying on new shoes or something. Don't try to pick anything up yet, though." Lendaria@crystyl keeps walking, she chuckles, "Ya obviously ain't seen me tryin' out new shoes. Don't think ya want me twirlin' and struttin' in this thing!" Keliaya@anncaris chuckles, "Okay, maybe not exactly like how you try on new shoes." She retrieves a phaser rifle from a weapons rack and makes her way back to Lennie Lendaria@crystyl stops and watches, "Um..." Keliaya@anncaris chuckles, "Don't worry, I'm not about to ask you to do combat training with the suit. Just look at the rifle. I know you know what it is, but pretend for a moment that you don't. Or just wonder - Keliaya@anncaris - about its internal composition. Tap into that scientific curiosity of yours." She holds out the rifle to her Lendaria@crystyl:"Ok..." she focuses on it, trying to do as Kelly suggests and concentrates on picturing the inner workings Keliaya@anncaris | A textbox appears beside the rifle in her vision: "Starfleet Type-3 Phaser, Mark XV. Nadion-based energy weapon. 15045 aluminum alloy frame." Below it are displayed various more detailed scan - Keliaya@anncaris - data in the familiar format of a tricorder display Lendaria@crystyl:"Woah!" Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "You're seeing the scan data, I'm guessing?" Lendaria@crystyl nods, going a little cross-eyed trying as she over focuses on the image Keliaya@anncaris:"The suit's systems are triggered by your neural impulses as well as the movement. It's got a built-in scanner you can use to scan everything around you, as operating a tricorder - Keliaya@anncaris - can be difficult in an armoured suit. It's also much faster. If the suit detects anything potentially dangerous, it'll automatically trigger the scan data as well as highlight the item in your - Keliaya@anncaris - vision. The same goes for environmental dangers or if the suit is compromised, just without the highlighting that is." Lendaria@crystyl:"Does it have the same level of functionality as a tricorder, or are there limitations?" Keliaya@anncaris:"It does! You just have to think of the other functions and it'll trigger. Might take a little getting used to not accidentally scanning things, but you shouldn't have to worry about it failing to - Keliaya@anncaris - trigger when you need it. If you think about the function, it will work. The only limitations are any pulses or such that would disrupt the suit or the neural link, the safeties automatically - Keliaya@anncaris - prevent those." Lendaria@crystyl:"So far s'good then. Anythin' else I gotta know?" Keliaya@anncaris:"Two more things, but let's get you into a holodeck to go over those. Come with me," she puts the rifle back on its rack and leads the way out Lendaria@crystyl follows her out without even thinking about it Keliaya@anncaris | As they walk through the halls, Daz's voice calls out from behind them, "Hey Sergeant! Getting more practice in with those new suits?" Lendaria@crystyl turns to see who Daz is so excited to see Keliaya@anncaris | Daz pauses and double takes as he sees Lennie, "Commander! Sorry, I thought you were Ulkass in that suit. I didn't know you were interested in testing out our new armour." Lendaria@crystyl:"Neither did I! Turns out it's got it's uses though" Keliaya@anncaris | Daz: "I'm glad to hear that. Well, I hope the suit serves you well, ma'am. Take good care of it, and it'll take good care of you." Lendaria@crystyl:"I'll keep tha' in mind, thanks Daz!" Keliaya@anncaris | Daz goes on his way and the two continue into the nearest holodeck Keliaya@anncaris calls out as she enters, "Computer, empty wine glass." Keliaya@anncaris | A wine glass appears on the floor in front of them Keliaya@anncaris:"Try to pick that up." Lendaria@crystyl approaches and goes for it, predictably crushing the fragile glass in her fingertips, "Um... oops" Keliaya@anncaris chuckles, "Computer, remove glass shards. That's something else you're going to have to keep in mind. You're a lot stronger in the suit, so you'll have to be delicate with objects you don't want - Keliaya@anncaris - to break." The glass shards disappear as she speaks Lendaria@crystyl:"Ya ain't kiddin'. Glad I didn't learn tha' tryin' a give Ann a hug... Keliaya@anncaris:"That's why I took you to the holodeck. Let's try something a little easier. Computer, tin can." Keliaya@anncaris | A tin can appears on the floor Lendaria@crystyl tries again with the can, a bit more delicately Lendaria@crystyl:rolls 81 (1-100) Keliaya@anncaris | Lennie manages to pick up the can without crushing or denting it! Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "Good work!" Lendaria@crystyl beams, "Yay me!" Keliaya@anncaris:"Now for the other suit functions. Computer, load program Security Alpha-2." Keliaya@anncaris | The holodeck loads in a large phaser practice range, about the size of a small shuttlebay, with targets at varying distances Lendaria@crystyl:"This'll be interestin'. Lemme guess, ya got aim assistance or somethin' built in t'offset th'heavier movement?" Keliaya@anncaris:"Yes, but you'll need to pair the weapon system with the suit and it takes some training. I'm not sure we have the time to get you used to that, and I'm probably not the best person to teach you - Keliaya@anncaris - anyways. But don't worry," she gives a reassuring smile, "You won't be going in there unarmed. Most of the suit's functions are tied to specific thoughts, but some are tied to both a gesture - Keliaya@anncaris - and a thought for added safety so you don't toggle them by accident." Lendaria@crystyl:"I'll-a be careful wit' wavin' mah hands around then..." Keliaya@anncaris:"Pick a target. Raise your right arm, point your first three fingers at it and think about hitting it with a phaser." Lendaria@crystyl tentatively does so Keliaya@anncaris | A phaser pulse fires from the armour on her right wrist, skimming by the edge of the target Keliaya@anncaris:"You need that exact gesture and the thought to activate the phaser, to prevent any misfires." Lendaria@crystyl:"Oooh finger phasers! Handy!" she grins, having more fun and forgetting herself more as she fires a few more practice shots Keliaya@anncaris grins at Lennie's excitement, "I'm glad you like them! It's only on the right arm. Like all Starfleet phasers, the setting is on stun by default. The setting and fire type is changed manually by - Keliaya@anncaris - the panel on the wrist, same as a normal hand phaser interface, just a little upscaled for armoured fingers. We decided to leave that a manual option, again to prevent accidental changes." Keliaya@anncaris:"The available settings and fire modes are the same as a standard Type-2 phaser, including the option for a sustained beam or a wide-beam." Lendaria@crystyl:"Good t'know" she checks out the panel, not altering anything Keliaya@anncaris lets Lennie check the panel first before speaking again, "Now for your left, form a fist, hold your arm out and think of protection, a shield, keeping safe." Lendaria@crystyl follows the instructions once more Keliaya@anncaris | A long energy shield as tall as herself forms along the length of her forearm Lendaria@crystyl ooh's again, slowly turning it, "Now I see why th'MACO's like this thing s'much!" Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "There's configurations on the left wrist for the shield as well. Mainly shape, but there are two primary settings. The default setting is the handheld variant of the Forli shield - Keliaya@anncaris - technology, the one we accidentally helped them develop when we rescued that ship of theirs. It reflects energy instead of trying to absorb it, which makes it much more durable. That version - Keliaya@anncaris - can handle nine continuous or simultaneous hits from Type-2 phasers before collapsing." Keliaya@anncaris:"The other setting is a standard absorption shield. It'll collapse on the third hit and recharges much slower, but it's a good option if you're in a crowded environment and want to prevent ricochet." Lendaria@crystyl:"hopefully none o'that'll be needed this time out, but good t'know" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "I wanted to make sure you were familiar with it just in case, to prevent any accidental misfiring if nothing else. Now for the third function I wanted to show you...computer, load T'Shar - Keliaya@anncaris - Desert program." Keliaya@anncaris | A sandy desert loads in around them Keliaya@anncaris:"The thruster system is activated by curling your toes on both feet. Once you uncurl, it'll deactivate. Just do it for a short burst now- it's much easier in low gravity but I wanted you to try - Keliaya@anncaris - here first." Lendaria@crystyl:"Oh now ya jus' spoilin' me!" she laughs, giving it a quick try Keliaya@anncaris | As expected, Lennie stumbles and falls on her first try, but the fall doesn't seem to hurt her at all Lendaria@crystyl:"Huh... inertial dampeners?" Keliaya@anncaris nods, "Combined with a gel layer between the undersuit and the actual suit which activates once you step inside. That's why the armour doesn't have to fit the wearer exactly, and it also helps - Keliaya@anncaris - lessen any impact damage. It has other properties too, but that's more technical and you don't have to worry about it now." Lendaria@crystyl:"Besides fall protection? Useful" she chuckles, trying again with the thrusters Keliaya@anncaris | This time, she manages an actual landing rather than falling, though it's still far from graceful Lendaria@crystyl:"I think I'll-a have t'keep workin' on tha'..." she chuckles Keliaya@anncaris chuckles, "Don't worry, it takes practice. Two other functions to quickly go over which doesn't need much practice- comms are toggled by the traditional combadge tap. A double tap activates a - Keliaya@anncaris - distress signal, and a triple tap toggles the emergency portable transporter unit. I'll have to set that to the QanwI' once it arrives, since it defaults to the Valley Forge and we'll be out - Keliaya@anncaris - of range. I'll let you know when it's here, it might be a good idea for you to practice with the suit some more in the meantime." Lendaria@crystyl:"Yeah, probably best I do as much as I can" Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "Good luck then, Commander. And have fun!" She turns to head out --- Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | While Kelly shows Lennie the new suit, Sin is in her quarters when the doorbell sounds Sin@crystyl opens the door herself, not lazily calling out like normal Evanne Dra@annpc#557 smiles, "Hello Sin. Wasn't expecting you to walk all the way to the door to greet me." Sin@crystyl steps aside, "It's easier to stand my grown and tell you to bugger off if you're someone I don't want to talk to. What's up?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 enters the room, "Well, I was hoping to ask for a little favour. Two, actually, now that I think about it." Sin@crystyl:"Not one, but two? Well, that is quite the debt to incur" she grins, pouring a drink and sitting down Evanne Dra@annpc#557 follows over, taking a seat beside her, "It's not just for me, you know," she grins back. "Besides, the first one's nothing much." Sin@crystyl:"One favour for a bigger crowd just means more people that owe me that one. You really are buttering me up for this one" she grins Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"No, I'm not- fine, I'll get to the point," she chuckles. "I have a feeling these lifeforms in the debris field are very dangerous. I was...hoping to borrow that amulet Ketkolep gave you." Sin@crystyl:"You think you need it?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"I hope not, but there's a chance I might. Don't worry, I'm not planning on getting into the habit of asking for your jewelry for every away mission. I just think we need to be more prepared for - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - this one." Sin@crystyl:"I don't mean need it that way, but in yourself; do you need to use it?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Well, when the Witch was created, all the extra psionic capability I had from the barrier dispersal and anything else the Architect might've done with me were removed. I still have everything I - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - grew up with, but I don't believe telepathy is going to help against whatever they are. The primal hunger I sense is as strong as the raw hatred in the Horde. It's not something I think I'll - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - be able to temper, even if I could delve deep into their minds, but their minds are very different from ours. I can't read anything above this surface hunger they radiate." Sin@crystyl:"If that's the case then no amount of amplification would help" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 nods, "I guess you're right. Speaking of the Witch, that brings me to the second thing I was hoping to ask you..." Sin@crystyl:"This is the one I'm not going to like isn't it…” Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Actually...I was hoping you /would/ like this one," she smirks Sin@crystyl:"Oh?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Kelly and I both have a connection to the Witch, as we've discussed before. She mostly seals it off from us for our own sanity's sake, but every so often we still get flashes of deja vu, or images - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - from her. We saw a certain face multiple times, but since she doesn't experience linear time like we do, we had no way of knowing whether this person is still alive or perhaps hasn't even been - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - born yet. Until I saw him in the hall the other day." Sin@crystyl:"Interesting. Who is it then?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"No one I recognized. I had to look up the crew roster to find him- Crewman Aditsan Boone. Newly transferred to the Valley Forge following the battle. Kelly asked Silvestrie to look into him, and - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - from our internal sensor records, he has visited the Witch's quarters quite a few times. It's a bit unusual, but visiting someone often isn't anything criminating. After that sabotage attempt - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - T'Pia uncovered back in the Heart and the fact that he's new though..." Sin@crystyl:"So you want me to do my thing?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Not forcibly read his mind or anything, no. Just...see if you can learn anything. But follow the rules. Talk to him, maybe see if he's behaving suspiciously. I mean, you got here by infiltrating - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - the crew. I can't think of anyone better to spot a potential infiltrator," she grins Sin@crystyl:"And you're sure I can't tear his mind apart? Not even a little bit?" she teases Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Please don't...if you have any reason to believe he might be up to something, notify security immediately. Of course you're an officer now so if he presents a clear and immediate danger to the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - ship, you're within your rights to use reasonable force to stop him." Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"But you better have some evidence to show Keelah afterwards." Sin@crystyl:"Alright, well I was going to offer to join you on this little outing. But I suppose you want me to look into this shifty crewman while you're away" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 smiles, "Thanks. The amulet was probably a bit of an overreaction. We'll be going with the QanwI' and knowing Captain Vix she'll probably tag along on the away team, so we should be pretty safe." Sin@crystyl:"It's probably for the best. A hot situation like that isn't exactly the time to be experimenting with wild new amplification of your abilities" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 nods, "Thank you for being reasonable, Sin. Aaand you're not going to take that as a compliment, are you?" Sin@crystyl:"How would you like it if someone called you reasonab-... right, nevermind" she grins Evanne Dra@annpc#557 grins back and stands, "Anyways, I should go prepare for the mission. Don't do anything rash and make me regret asking you to help on this, Sin!" Sin@crystyl waves a dismissive hand, "Yeah, yeah I get it. No fun allowed" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"I'm sure you'll find a way to enjoy this!" she waves back more cheerfully as she heads out --- NPK@annpc#557 | Lennie, Eva and Kelly are in the transporter room of the QanwI' a short while after arriving, with Lennie still in the suit. Kelly taps away on a panel on the back of the suit as she works on - NPK@annpc#557 - something while the Klingon transporter operator observes NPK@annpc#557 | Kelly: "There. The emergency transporter unit is linked to the QanwI' now." Lendaria@crystyl:"Does that mean I can get out now?" NPK@annpc#557 | Kelly nods, "You can leave it here until you need to go down to the Progenitor comm relay. You might want to stay in the undersuit though, so you can quickly step inside once the QanwI' is - NPK@annpc#557 - within transporter-" NPK@annpc#557 | Transporter Operator: "Wait! Is that one of the new combat suits I've been hearing about?" Lendaria@crystyl steps out while Kelly explains NPK@annpc#557 | Kelly chuckles and nods, "Yes, it is. Don't worry, QanwI' should be getting some soon as well. We only have a few at the moment, and we're letting the Commander here use one as special - NPK@annpc#557 - accommodation." NPK@annpc#557 | Transporter Operator: "Pah! I do not need fancy armour to be effective in battle!" He grins, "But I do look forward to seeing what it is capable of." Lendaria@crystyl:"Well don't look at me, you'se be wantin' t'play wit' the MACO's for tha'" NPK@annpc#557 | Transporter Operator: "You do know how to operate the suit if you are wearing it, do you not?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Yea, but I'm a lover not a fighter. Scientist actually, so I ain't exactly got th'skills t'be showin' it off in a fight" NPK@annpc#557 | Transporter Operator: "I hear the armour augments the strength of anyone who wears it, so you will still be a better fighter with it on, even if it does not improve your skill." Lendaria@crystyl:"Yeah, but not a better lover" she grins NPK@annpc#557 | The Klingon grins back, "I can think of a few ways the undersuit might help with that..." Lendaria@crystyl:"I'll-a bet ya can. But thinkin' bout it's th'closest ya gonna get, so don't get no ideas now" NPK@annpc#557 | Transporter Operator: "Don't worry Commander- with that suit at your disposal, no one'll mess with you." NPK@annpc#557 | Kelly pats Lennie on the shoulder, "I'm heading back to the Valley Forge. Have fun with the Klingons, Lennie!" Lendaria@crystyl:"Always do!" she smiles, stepping off the pad NPK@annpc#557 | Eva follows her off while the Klingon steps back to the console, tapping on it as he beams Kelly back before glancing back to Lennie, "Any chance I could challenge you to B'aht Qul once the - NPK@annpc#557 - mission is done? Just to see how strong that suit makes you." Lendaria@crystyl:"One condition; if it's a drinkin' game ya better have some Orion wine for when I beat ya. Not drinkin' tha' bloodwine stuff, too heavy f'me" she winks NPK@annpc#557 | Transporter Operator: "The challenge itself doesn't require drinking, but it wouldn't be a good challenge if we didn't drink to the victor after! I'll make sure we get out the Orion wine we have - NPK@annpc#557 - on board." Lendaria@crystyl:"Good havin' somethin' t'look forward to!" NPK@annpc#557 | The Klingon smiles, "Aye! I'll be here if you need to beam down, but Captain wants you on the bridge for now." Lendaria@crystyl:"Right! Best not keep 'er waitin' then" NPK@annpc#557 | Lennie and Eva arrive on the bridge, where Lexi and her bridge crew are working NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "Captain Vix. I sent you the flight solution we calculated. We should have a clear path to our destination without being caught by any of the aceton assimilators." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi nods, "We have your calculations. But how can you be-" she pauses, looking Lennie up and down and cracking up, "What the Hell are you wearing?!" Lendaria@crystyl eyerolls, "S'just the undersuit for mah EV gear!" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "And here I was thinking you came to put on a show for the crew. Too bad" she grins, looking back to Eva, "But yeah! How do we know you've got all those nasty surprises out there mapped?" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "We probably don't, but we have identified a number of ones that have been taken offline, presumably by the lifesigns we're seeing in the debris field. From our calculations of the - NPK@annpc#557 - generators' range based on our probe, we know the generators are set up to work as a massive grid. There's a bit of redundancy to ensure full coverage, but wherever there's two generators next - NPK@annpc#557 - to each other down, we know for sure there's no coverage in that area. And we've found a path using these blind spots to fly where we need to go." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "Guess we'll soon see won't we" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva nods, "There's going to be some sharp turns. Ann said it wasn't going to be easy, but it's doable." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "Tht's why we're going and the pregnant one stays behind!" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva smiles, "Exactly. Want us to take consoles, or just watch while your crew do the work?" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi, "We got it covered, but feel free to pitch up if you want to watch more than the viewscreen" Lendaria@crystyl moves around to join the Klingon at the science console NPK@annpc#557 | Eva steps over and observes from the comm console while the QanwI's pilot sits up straighter, "Ready on your mark, Captain." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "Take us in" NPK@annpc#557 FX | We see outside the ship as the QanwI' breaks off from the Valley Forge and heads for the debris field. They enter without incident, the small Raptor passing by one of the disabled - NPK@annpc#557 - aceton generators before turning sharply away to head for the next NPK@annpc#557 | On the bridge, the pilot is concentrated closely on the console as various asteroids and derelicts come in and out of sight on the viewscreen NPK@annpc#557 | As they move through the field, Lennie's console begins getting more information on the lifesigns. Most of the lifesigns in the structures are small, person-sized, but the ones out in space - NPK@annpc#557 - are larger ones. However, they all seem to be reading as the same species, despite the vast difference in size Lendaria@crystyl:"Huh, could they be usin' the structures as a sort o'breedin' ground...?" she muses while observing NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "That's a possibility...there's quite a few in the comm station we're headed towards, so I suppose we'll find out soon enough..." Lendaria@crystyl:"Tha' could explain why they won't just leave too" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "And the hunger I'm sensing." NPK@annpc#557 | After a few more tense but successful turns, the QanwI' manage to reach their destination without being caught in the trap! Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "Wait... that's it? I thought this was meant to be a challenging run!" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "Ann did say it'd be easier in a smaller and nimbler ship. We're not done yet though, if the lifesigns down in the comm station are hostile, I think there's plenty of challenge to come." Lendaria@crystyl:"If th'theory holds an' this is a nest. It ain't the ones down there we gotta worry 'bout, but them out 'ere when they realize we'se walkin' in their nest" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "Well aren't you just a little ray of sunshine today" --- Human NPC@annpc#557 | While the QanwI' carries out its mission, Sin looks into this Crewman Aditsan Boone. The ship computer locates Crewman Boone working on some daily maintenance work in one of the engineering - Human NPC@annpc#557 - areas of the ship Sin@crystyl wonders into the area, mooching around to see who's there that she can make busy talk with Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin spots Specialist Nevina, one of the Orion enlisted, working in the same area Sin@crystyl heads over, "Hey Nevina" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina looks over from her work, "Hi Sin! What're you doing down here? Let me guess- you were late again and someone's punishing you with more maintenance work." Sin@crystyl shuffles her feet, "No! Maybe a little..." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina chuckles, "Hey, you get to hang out with us enlisted and not all the strict officers, at least." Sin@crystyl:"Obviously my plan the whole time! So what are we up to today?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina: "Oh, just some basic EPS grid maintenance. Nothing exciting here, but I hear there's something going on about a debris field with concealed traps." Sin@crystyl:"Yeah, I heard something about that" she shrugs, looking around, "Strange, I thought I'd cleaned everyone on the lower decks out of their pockets at least once but I'm seeing a lot of new faces - Sin@crystyl:- around lately" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina: "It's the new people who joined after all the Starfleet ships came through. There's probably a few faces you haven't met yet among all those new arrivals." Sin@crystyl grins, "Goodie, fresh meat!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina smirks, looking around, "Anyone here you're looking to clean out?" Sin@crystyl:"Anyone I haven't already makes for a good mark" she looks around, pointing out Boone, "I don't believe I've seen him stripped to his underwear yet..." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina glances over, "Me neither. He's definitely one of the newer ones- does maintenance work for Engineering mostly, but I've seen Ops nab him for a little work here and there." Sin@crystyl:"Well then, we'll just have to remedy that won't we! Got a name?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Nevina: "Crewman...Boon, I think it was?" Sin@crystyl crosses the room, looming behind him. She gives a sharp intake of breath and tuts as she looks over his shoulder, "You sure you want to be doing that...?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone pauses and glances back at Sin, "Am I doing something wrong?" Sin@crystyl grins, stepping back, "I have absolutely no idea. But that you have to ask me tells me there's good odds on it" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone turns around. He appears older than the typical crewman, though older individuals volunteering for an enlisted tour or two in Starfleet to get some fresh new experiences is not entirely - Human NPC@annpc#557 - unheard of, "Well, I am only a crewman. But you're a tactical officer, not an engineering one." Sin@crystyl:"Which is why I've no idea if you're doing it right or not! What's your excuse?" she teases Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I'm /fairly/ sure I'm doing it right. But this isn't exactly a standard ship with all the modifications you've received, and now the ship being pregnant." Sin@crystyl:"Yeah, normal is boring though! Right!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone chuckles, "Why'd you think I requested this posting?" Sin@crystyl:"Aah, got a little fancy for the less mundane too then! I approve" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "You requested this assignment as well?" Sin@crystyl:"Ehh... technically... you could say that" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Technically? What do you mean by that?" Sin@crystyl pokes his shoulder, "Not so fast crewman. I got a rule about sharing my deepest and darkest with folks I've not seen naked yet" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone glances over towards Nevina, "And here I thought Orions were direct..." Sin@crystyl:"Oh cool your jets, I never said anything about you seeing me naked! No, it's a little game I run on the lower decks is all. What do you say? Fancy your chances?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "So that's what this is about? What game is it?" Sin@crystyl:"Just some good old fashioned poker!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone smiles, "Count me in, then. That's something I know how to play." Sin@crystyl grins, "I look forward to seeing what you're made of then" with a suggestive look up and down of him before returning to her friend Sin@crystyl:"Game on!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone sets down his tools and follows --- Evanne Dra@annpc#557 and Lennie transport down to the asteroid with the comm facility, accompanied by Lexi and two of the mercenaries on the QanwI' Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | In the atmosphereless vacuum, the structure sits perfect preserved ahead of them Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The two mercs check their surroundings before declaring, "All clear." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi leads the way Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"The lifesigns are all concentrated inside." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 glances to Lennie as they walk, "Is the new suit helping at all?" Lendaria@crystyl:"I won't be hurryin' to wear it for fun or nothin', but it's not as bad as the usual ones. I can still feel it around me though" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"If it's a bit of an improvement, that's better than nothing still!" Lendaria@crystyl:"Definitely!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | As they step into the Progenitor structure, artificial gravity kicks in, but there is still no atmosphere Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Well if they could get gravity active here, they must have turned the other environmental systems off for a reason. Maybe they can't survive in our atmosphere?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Certainly possible given tha' th'others're outside" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 checks her tricorder, "Let's get into the comm systems and see what information the Progenitors might've had here before it was co-opted to broadcast the distress call." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Lennie's suit automatically pops up a warning about nine unidentified lifeforms moving towards them Lendaria@crystyl:"Somethin's headin' our way" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Guess we're going to see what the lifeforms have to say first. Do you want to take point on first contact, Commander, or should I?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Let's... see wha' we're dealin' wit' first. May not even be sentient so you likely got a better feel o'things" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"True..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | A few seconds later, the first of the beings comes into view. It is bipedal, but strange and twisted Evanne Dra@annpc#557 FX | https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/halo/images/a/a7/Flood_Charge.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110317020848 Lendaria@crystyl:"Um..." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi and her men instinctively ready their weapons Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Scan data appears next to the lifeform in Lennie's vision: "Species Unidentified. Fungal Lifeform. Closest known relation, Ophiocordycipitaceae Family." Lendaria@crystyl:"They're... fungus. Parasitic fungus at tha'!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The creature raises its weapon as several more steps out of the shadows behind it and begin to charge the team! Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi, "So this /is/ my type of party, good to know you still care Starfleet! Warriors, defend!" she flourishes her bat'leth and jumps in Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The two mercs open fire, taking out the three fungal beings with ranged weapons first. The rest charge blindly at the team Evanne Dra@annpc#557 draws her phaser and shoots down one, leaving five still rushing forward Lendaria@crystyl readies her finger-phaser and shield, trying to help without getting in the way Lendaria@crystyl:rolls 93 (1-100) Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Lennie finds the finger-phaser much easier to aim than regular ones, must be thanks to the neural link and built-in aim assistance functions! She takes down three and only two close in for - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - Lexi to deal with at melee range. Their attacks are wild and savage, flailing limbs and tentacles at her- overwhelming for the inexperienced and likely more dangerous if they had more numbers, - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - but clumsy and easy to avoid for someone with Lexi's skill Lendaria@crystyl:"I'm guessin'... not a good candidate f'first contact" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Doesn't seem like it. All I can sense is still that hunger. I don't think they're sentient, not these ones, at least..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | One of the mercs step forward, trying to pry a weapon from the hand of one of the dead fungus zombies, only to realize that it has become fused to the creature. He drops it back down and turns - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - back to Lennie and Eva, "This one's got a Corporate weapon. They must know how to use them and are salvaging, so they've got to have some intelligence." Lendaria@crystyl:"Maybe like Horde thralls, basic grunts doin' th'work of a larger intelligence?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"That's what I was thinking as well." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | As Lennie looks across the bodies, her sensors show the same readings for most of them, but on the one with the Corporate weapon, it identifies something else- Corporate implants inside the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - being. Most of them are defunct and inactive now, except for the cybernetic limbs, which has been grown over but the basic metal is retained underneath as bone support Lendaria@crystyl hopes the suit is recording all the readings like her tricorder would Evanne Dra@annpc#557 steps over to the bodies as well, "Anything we can learn from the ones here, or should we keep moving?" Lendaria@crystyl shakes her head, "Nothin' o'consequence yet" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Lennie's suit gives more warnings of the fungal lifeforms, this time over two dozen inbound rather than the nine before Lendaria@crystyl:"More than two dozen on their way" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Let's keep going. I have a feeling these ones are going to be about as unfriendly as the ones here." Lendaria@crystyl nods Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi, "Here's hoping!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Of course you'd /want/ them to be unfriendly..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The team moves further into the facility, but soon the lifesigns catch up, and uneven footsteps echo behind them... Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi and hear team once again stand ready Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The fungal zombies begin charging down the hall. The mercs pick off the ranged ones again, but this time there are more of them and enemy fire comes streaming down at them, giving Lennie a - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - chance to use her shield! Lendaria@crystyl hunkers down and throws the shield up Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The shield blocks a few shots coming for her and Eva, bouncing them back into the incoming wave of fungal creatures and taking out a few of them. The remainder make it into melee range with - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - Lexi once again, this time with far more of them Lendaria@crystyl provides covering fire from behind her shield while Lexi plays Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Lennie and the others are able to take out a few more while Lexi uses the hallway and her wide bat'leth as a bottleneck to hold back the ones at close range. Soon, the brief skirmish is - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - over and the area clear once again Lendaria@crystyl:"I suggest we find this signal, shut it down an' bug outta here" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"You don't have to convince me. Told you I had a bad feeling about these lifesigns..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | They traverse through the facility for a little while longer and soon begin approaching the source of the signal. As they do however, it becomes clear that the area it is coming from is - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - swarming with the fungal lifesigns, and another large group begins moving in towards them Evanne Dra@annpc#557 glances to Lexi, "We might need to call reinforcements, Captain." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "You sure we can't just blow this place to hell from the QanwI'?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"That would stop the distress call, but we'll still have no idea what these things are and whether it's possible to communicate with some of them, maybe the larger ones we see in space." Lendaria@crystyl:"So you want to push on then?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"The Progenitors built a comm facility for a reason, and it wasn't originally to broadcast a Corporate distress call. There could be data on these things here. But there's also a lot of them - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - between us and the main comm systems..." Lendaria@crystyl:"Now we got more accurate internal readings, could we transport closer?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Let's ask your new friend in the QanwI's transporter room." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 opens her comm. A few seconds later, the Klingon transporter operator's voice replies, "Transport you right inside. Aye, I can do that! Stand by!" Lendaria@crystyl:"Weapons ready" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi, "Mmm! Music to my ears!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The team disappears into a transporter beam, rematerializing in the heart of the facility. Immediately, the fungus zombies in the room spin around as they appear and begin to charge Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "You two hurry up and do your thing, we'll keep them off you" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"On it!" She rushes over to the nearby console Evanne Dra@annpc#557 begins tapping on the interface as quickly as she would normally work on a familiar Starfleet console Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"I've got this, help Captain Vix hold them off!" Lendaria@crystyl nods, turning to make a shield barricade again Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Lennie manages to shield Eva from a few shots as the fight rages around them. Lexi and the mercs manage to clear the fungus zombies in the room, but as more pour into the area, they are pushed - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - further and further back until the mercs are forced into melee combat as well Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Two manage to slip past Lexi as their numbers become too great to hold back, and they rush for Lennie.. Lendaria@crystyl swings the shield across them to knock them off balance before firing on both Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The huge shield knocks them off their feet and onto their backs, making them prone for counterattack. Lennie easily finishes them off with the wrist-mounted phaser. As several more break - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - through past Lexi and the mercs, Eva shouts, "Done!" Lendaria@crystyl:"Captain Vix, time to go!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 calls for transport and turns around, helping shoot the fungus zombies that broke through, but several more continue to charge them. Before they reach Lennie however, the team disappears away - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - into transporter beams --- NPK@annpc#557 | The team beams back onto the QanwI's transporter pad. As the rest of the team makes their way off the pad, one of the mercs stumbles, drops to one knee before promptly collapsing Lendaria@crystyl turns to check on him NPK@annpc#557 | The merc begins to convulse violently, and Lennie's suit sensors identifies a tear in his EV suit. However, it isn't diagnosing him with asphyxiation, instead, it's identifying the parasitic - NPK@annpc#557 - fungal spores in his body. There is a wound under the suit tear, and that must be how they got in Lendaria@crystyl:"He's infected with the fungus! We gotta get him to ya sickbay" she steps out of the way so he can be beamed Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "No" she shoves the operator aside and transports him herself NPK@annpc#557 | The transport operator growls but lets his captain do her thing, watching as she does Lendaria@crystyl | After he's gone Lexi deflates, "Rest in Sto'vo'kor" the rest all roar Lendaria@crystyl spins around, "What?!" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "What did you do with him?" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "I gave him the death he deserves, not one drawn out in pain clawing at the air around him while he is slowly debilitated by an infection" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "But maybe we could've saved him, gotten rid of the infection." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi scowls back, "You would deny a proud warrior the honourable death he deserves just for a chance to poke and prod at a science experiment?! You want specimens; here"- Lendaria@crystyl:- she turns her boot up and scrapes the tip of her bat'leth across the sole, wiping it on her glove she splats it on the console, "-experiment on that. NOT my warriors" and promptly storms out NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "Right..." She glances to Lennie, "Is...that stuff still infectious?" Lendaria@crystyl scans it from within the suit Lendaria@crystyl shakes her head, "No, th'transporters seem to have done their job. It got him because it was already in his blood" she looks to Eva, "An' don't feel bad. It's just their way" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva nods, removing her helmet now that it's safe, "Should we take this somewhere to study? I don't suppose QanwI' has a lab." Lendaria@crystyl nods, "Mah lab back on th'ship's gonna be our best bet. We all done 'ere though or might need to get back down there?" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "I've got all the information that seems pertinent, I just need to look through it." Lendaria@crystyl:"Wanna take some time t'figure stuff out? Might be best t'be sure before we have t'try flyin' back through this field" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "Good id-" The ship rattles slightly. "What was that?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Bad news... Let's get to th'bridge" she quickly disembarks the suit NPK@annpc#557 | As they arrive on the bridge, they see on the viewscreen several shapes that look like malformed blobs with wings, sporting the same texture as the fungus zombies on the surface. Blobs of the - NPK@annpc#557 - same biological material that forms the blobs are being shot towards the QanwI', whose cannons are alight shooting them down. Several impact with the shields and are vapourized shortly - NPK@annpc#557 - afterwards, but more keep coming, occupying the QanwI's weaponry on fending them off rather than targetting their source NPK@annpc#557 | K'Sarn: "These...flesh torpedoes are draining our shields upon impact. Shields are holding as long as we can shoot them down on time." NPK@annpc#557 | Pilot: "There's no room to maneuver around here. One wrong move and we'll be caught by the aceton assimilators. We need to move out of the field." Lendaria@crystyl confers with the duty officer about using a tractor beam to push the giant space zombie mushroom blobs into the assimilator range Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "No arguments from me, get us the hell out of here!" NPK@annpc#557 | The officer nods, activating the tractor beams as the pilot begins maneuvering the QanwI' back through the field. The tractor beam manages to push one of the blobs into an assimilator's range, - NPK@annpc#557 - but the assimilator doesn't activate as there is no artificial energy source. It seems the assimilators can't directly stop the blobs, though if a probe or something technological is fired - NPK@annpc#557 - into its range, the resulting energy being converted into radiation might harm the blobs, hence why they all scattered away when the VF's probe got caught by the assimilators Lendaria@crystyl calls out, "If ya can spare a torpedo, target th'blob we pushed!" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi nods, "Fire!" NPK@annpc#557 | The torpedo flies towards the blob, but doesn't impact it. The aceton assimilator catches it as the torpedo enters its range and the torpedo's flashing slowly fades from the viewscreen. As - NPK@annpc#557 - the generator converts the torpedo's energy into radiation, the blob within its range begins to wither away as its wings flail about, the radiation clearly having a harmful effect on it Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi: "There's our tactic, keep on it!" NPK@annpc#557 | The QanwI' manages to push a second into a generator's range, followed by another torpedo which is drained and converted into radiation as well. The third falls behind before they have a - NPK@annpc#557 - chance to do the same thing to it, as the QanwI' is too fast and nimble. It gives up the case as the QanwI' continues its way out of the field NPK@annpc#557 | K’Sarn: "We're almost out, but the thing seems to be off our tail already. Should I keep going?" Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi pauses, "...no. I'm not wasting perfectly good torpedoes on.... space blobs" NPK@annpc#557 | Eva: "And there's more in the field anyways. We can't get rid of them all this way. We may as well take what we have to the Valley Forge for study though, since we're almost there." Lendaria@crystyl | Lexi nods, "Set course" --- Human NPC@annpc#557 | In one of the VF's lounges, Crewman Boone sits down for poker with Sin... Sin@crystyl shuffles the cards, "Alright ladies, we've got a newcomer to the game!" she grins at Boone, "Didn't wuss out then. There's hope for you yet!" Sin@crystyl | Boone would notice that despite how Sin addresses the group, most are in fact male Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone glances around the table, then back to Sin with a smirk, "Let's see how I stack up to all of you, ladies." Sin@crystyl deals out a round and the game slowly unfolds. All the while subtly probing Boone's thoughts, and not just the way she normally does when taking money off the enlisted Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin finds his mind incomprehensible, in the same way that people using the anti-Horde implants but set to a different frequency like the Romulans are. His must have been adjusted to a - Human NPC@annpc#557 - different frequency somehow, even though every new arrival on the ship should have gone through medical and ensured that they are put on the standard Starfleet frequency Sin@crystyl:"So how's the Valley Forge working out for you so far, Boone?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Everything I expected and more. I might only be enlisted, but it's already been quite a journey." Sin@crystyl:"Pfft! Don't give me that 'only enlisted' crap. You guys run this ship and we all know it" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone chuckles, "Collectively yes, but I'm not as connected as the old-timers on the ship. I can't call in favours from all over the ship the way people like T'Quila or Chief Tyr can." Sin@crystyl:"Eh, give it time. Even the Chief was the new girl once! Not... saying you're the new girl or anything. Sure you could let that little ponytail down, but you don't really have the cheekbones for it" Sin@crystyl:"Could look alright in a skirt though..." she leans to one side, almost glancing under the table even though there's no way she could ever actually see Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone grins, "You'd be surprised what I could pull off effectively." Sin@crystyl:"Is that so? Well do tell! You can't just tease something like that without backing it up with a good story. Right guys?" she looks around for resounding nodding and encouragement Sin@crystyl keeps probing his thoughts, reading them and how they change like reading body language even with the implant being on a different frequency. It just makes it more of a fun challenge for her again, - Sin@crystyl:- especially while reading everyone at the table to continue fleecing them Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Well, I dabbled in some classic stage acting. It's not as exciting as it sounds- I never got any major roles, and most people spend their time with holoprograms these days." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin can't gather any specifics, but she definitely gets the sense that he's hiding something Sin@crystyl:"Holos certainly do have their uses. I was never one for theater myself, always seemed so... pretentious" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone chuckles, "I suppose that's why I decided to settle on a more practical career like this. And I wanted to see the galaxy, too." Sin@crystyl:"Bah! Stage acting's boring anyway. You got me all excited thinking you could be like a super secret S31 agent or something sexy like that. Now for some reason, every time I look at you I see you - Sin@crystyl:- in one of those big frilly collar things" she laughs Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone laughs as well, "I know exactly what you're talking about. I've never actually been in one of those outfits, but I've been through quite a few interesting ones. I've got a particular - Human NPC@annpc#557 - interest in history, which was why I got into theatre to begin with. Most of these pieces were written long ago about ancient periods by people who actually lived in those times. It's - Human NPC@annpc#557 - quite interesting to see their world from a contemporary perspective." Sin@crystyl:"Eh, life's too short to waste looking backwards. Well mine is anyway. But what's this about interesting outfits now? Sounds tantalizing!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I've worn a few ancient Earth ones in my time. Even some ancient Klingon ones- the Klingons have a particular interest for adapting the works of William Shakespeare, and they do it so - Human NPC@annpc#557 - well, even humans have started putting on their versions of the plays." Sin@crystyl:"Aww, back to the stage? Funny, I could have sworn you were talking about outfits in the context of S31 just now..." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "S31? That's the alleged secret Federation spy organization, right?" Sin@crystyl:"Yeah, now there's an outfit full of excitement for you!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I wouldn't know where to start with joining them. How does an organization that secretive even recruit, anyways?" Sin@crystyl:"I heard they're tuned into everyone's implants so they have the thoughts of every Federation citizen at their fingertips! If they pick up something that appeals, they whisk you away in a - Sin@crystyl:- transporter beam while you sleep!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "That certainly fits the rumours about them. Well, I haven't been whisked away yet, so I suppose I'm not good enough for them." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Speaking of being good enough, Boone is doing rather well in the game without Sin being able to use her telepathy to get much advantage over him! Sin@crystyl:"So you have heard of them? Yet just now you made out the name barely meant anything..." her eyes narrow, "Maybe they're not so far away after all..." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I've heard stories, like many people have. Never thought much of them personally. People like to make up ghost stories." Sin@crystyl leans back with a smirk, "Make up stories? I've no idea what you mean..." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone smirks back, "We all make up stories once in a while, don't we?" Sin@crystyl:"A wise man once said; the truth is just an excuse for a lack of imagination!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone chuckles, "That I do agree with," he glances around the table, "Hey, just because I'm Starfleet doesn't mean I can't have an imagination as well. I've heard it's essential for a good - Human NPC@annpc#557 - captain." Sin@crystyl:"Captain eh? I like your ambition, but might want to start with an officers commission" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I didn't say I wanted to /be/ a captain. I just think all the good ones need a pretty active imagination to get out of the situations Starfleet ships can run into sometimes." Sin@crystyl:"Aww now don't be modest, it's good to have goals! And I think it's cute that you're content to settle for being captain of a starship" she grins Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Settle? What are /you/ aiming for?" Sin@crystyl one of the others pipes up with a laugh, "Oh didn't you know? Sin here's going to be Empress of the whole galaxy!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Now that is quite a lofty goal. How do you plan to achieve it? Or is that going to be a secret?" Sin@crystyl shrugs nonchalantly, "I haven't quite decided yet" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone smirks, "Maybe I could help you figure it out sometime. If you like, that is." Sin@crystyl:"Ooh cocky too. You should be careful, I might start to like you! At the very least, I might let you keep your clothes by the end of the game" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Assuming you win..." Sin@crystyl:"Oh there is no assuming about it. Just look around" she grins, highlighting that the rest of the players are already at least half stripped Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Just means there's less competition," he grins Sin@crystyl grins back, tapping the table, "Put your money where your mouth is then cocky man. The night is young!" --- Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Upon returning to the VF, Lennie and Eva study the information they gathered from their trip into the debris field. Lennie is joined by Trenick, who happened to be compiling data in the lab - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - before and is now helping look through her suit's sensor records as well Lendaria@crystyl works away, downloading the scan data from the suit Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick taps on the console next to her as he looks through it, "A parasitic fungus, it's not an unknown phenomenon, the database even has examples of ones that can affect large sentient - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - life like ourselves. How these ones are able to survive in a vacuum is much more unusual though." Lendaria@crystyl:"Not t'mention th'whole shootin' blob torpedoes" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick nods, "Your suit seems to classify them all as the same fungal lifeforms, and at this point they do practically seem to be the same species, but looking closer at the scans, I'm seeing - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - elements that match Hyrokee, Rider, Lupan and other DNA in these bipedal forms. I think it's likely they used to be those species before they were infected, especially judging by the Hyrokee - Evanne Dra@annpc#557:- Corporate implants in some of them. And here's the data from the infected warrior coming through. Let me have a look..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "It's as I thought. The infection process didn't progress far before he was beamed away, but the fungal spores were already starting to rewrite his DNA. They're not just a parasitic - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - fungus, they're also a vector for genetic augmentation. I believe the host's DNA is almost entirely rewritten to become that of the fungus, which is why they're all reading as the same - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - lifesigns, regardless of size and shape. It's like how all the Xindi species all give off similar lifesign readings despite how different we all are; much of the base DNA is the same." Lendaria@crystyl:"I figured as much from wha' we saw" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "There are still elements of the original species' DNA that can be seen through a close examination, though. Let me see if I can find any of that in the spaceborne forms to determine - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - what exactly they are." Lendaria@crystyl:"Say Trenick... ya don't s'pose wha'ever these things are is wha's growin' down in th'cargobay do ya?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "I doubt it. This fungus reproduces by infecting other biological matter. These larger spaceborne forms..." he taps on his console some more. "I'm seeing elements of DNA from - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - various unrelated species. I was expecting them to be infected cosmozoans, but they might be an amalgamation of various smaller infected. Their way of building, I suppose." Lendaria@crystyl:"Ew..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "In some ways, I believe they resemble a purely biological Borg. I see no capability to procreate in any of their forms- none of the original reproductive functions are present in the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557:- fully converted forms. It is very likely that they cannot create, only assimilate." Lendaria@crystyl:"Stands t'reason, and so much for our original 'nest' theory" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "Yes, this fungus seems to act more like a virus than fungi. Whether it's a product of natural evolution though, it's difficult to say. Some very strange things have managed to evolve - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - naturally across the galaxy, after all." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 speaks up from her console across the lab, "It's not natural. But it is...evolved, technically." Lendaria@crystyl looks across, "Y'got somethin' Eva?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 nods, "The warning the Progenitors were originally broadcasting doesn't have much detail other than to avoid the area, but there's a lot of information in the facility's systems, and I think - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - I have a pretty good idea of what happened here." Lendaria@crystyl heads over, "Always love a good theory" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 smiles, "Well, it's a little more than a theory. Take a look," She taps a button and the face of a male Progenitor appears on the screen Lendaria@crystyl:"Every time I see one o'them faces now, I just sees th'damned Architect" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 nods, "You and me both. But this is a different one." Lendaria@crystyl:"So wha's he got t'say for himself?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 taps and the recording plays: "The containment plan was a success. We are certain of it this time. The Kratt Weapon is more resilient than we anticipated. It has been mutating its hosts to - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - survive in vacuum even after the World Eater consumed the world. They proved too elusive for eradication, though we have managed to deny them any forms of faster than light travel. They do not - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - seem able to achieve this on their own- while they are combining biomass to form larger entities, these still have limited lifespans even after their augmentation and would not survive a - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - journey to another star system. Thus, we have decided upon containment instead. The first element is a simple shield generator, designed to contain the infection within the debris field. A - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - warning message has been set to broadcast to inform all to stay away from the system, but we have added a second layer in case any do not heed our warnings." Lendaria@crystyl:"The assimilators..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Progenitor continues after a moment, "A network of devices have been placed throughout the debris field, designed to drain power from any ships that do break through the shield. The energy - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - drained will be converted into radiation that has been proven to be effective against both the fungus and all known forms of organic life. This will deny them the use of functional starships - Evanne Dra@annpc#557:- and, we hope, biomass as well. For the moment, the containment is working. Should they eventually gather enough biomass to compromise the grid of devices, we may have to consider the final - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - option. For the time being, we shall monitor and maintain the containment system." Lendaria@crystyl:"Well..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"There's a second followup message as well. Less relevant to what's going on here in the system, but...it pertains to our current mission." Lendaria@crystyl:"Let's have that too then!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 taps on the console again, and this time a female Progenitor appears on the console Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The second message plays: "The Elder Council has made their decision. Production of the Kratt is to cease immediately. Their callous nature has caused more problems than solutions for our - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - efforts. This bioweapon they created to fight the Horde does not discriminate between thralls and Children, and if you had not contained it in time, it may have proven to be as much of a threat - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - to us as the Horde themselves. This is but one situation, but it is a perfect representation of the Kratt's overall behaviour. They are not like our Children. They are intelligent, yes, but - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - not truly conscious- animals equipped with the arsenal of biological killing machines. An effective weapon that could end up being just as dangerous to us as it is to our Enemy." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The female Progenitor pauses for a moment, then sighs, "I am sorry. I know this is not easy, old friend. Without the Architect and our greatest experts on this matter, our teams are fumbling - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - in the dark. You did your best with your Protectors. But now it's time to cut them loose. We can only hope that the ones we have already produced causes more damage to the Horde than the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - Children, and that the war will cleanse this failed experiment. We do not have the resources to fight both the Kratt and the Horde. You and your people will be given positions in the second - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - iteration of the project. I hope what you have learned from your mistakes with the first will help refine this new breed of Protectors." Lendaria@crystyl:"Some interestin' context" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 nods, "From what they said, it sounds like the Kratt aren't truly sentient. That might complicate our mission to establish diplomatic relations with them. They are certainly intelligent and - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - capable of communication, though. I suppose we'll see when we get there." Lendaria@crystyl:"They weren't sentient then, but a lotta time's passed since they recorded those messages. Could be th'Kratt's evolved by now" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick nods, "That's certainly a possibility. Their other Protectors, the Lupan, do reproduce, so there's no reason to believe the Kratt don't. Seeing as they've survived until now and the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - Progenitors ceased production of them, they've definitely been reproducing all this time, and with natural reproduction comes evolution." Lendaria@crystyl:"All well an' good, but we still got th'blobs t'deal with" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 taps on the console, "There's a bit more information in the full reports they sent with the messages. The fungus was engineered by the Kratt as a weapon against the Horde, but engineered might - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - be too strong of a word for it. There's quite a bit of trial and error involved in any technological development, but for the Kratt, it's basically all trial and error. They just try - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - every combination of everything until something works. And in the process they made this fungus and lost control of it. The World Eater was one of those self-propelled planet killers. The - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - infection initially got out of control and they tried to stop it by destroying the planet. Before that, they deployed the Contingency virus you found on that Progenitor ship as well, but the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - hosts were so mutated they were no longer Children species, and the virus had no effect." Lendaria@crystyl:"So wha' we gonna do 'bout all this now. Recommendations?" she looks between the pair Evanne Dra@annpc#557 thinks, "Well we certainly can't let this spread. The Kratt might be sentient now, but this fungus definitely isn't. Even if it can communicate, it needs to consume other life to survive." Lendaria@crystyl:"Very true. Trenick, thoughts?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "It's an artificial creation, not a natural life-form. Even if we introduced it to another planet, it won't have any natural predators. It'll either just consume everything and then - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - die out, or someone will accidentally carry it to another planet. Eradication is probably for the best, but the Progenitors didn't seem to be able to achieve that. What is this last resort - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - solution they mentioned?" Lendaria@crystyl:"Good question" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"It doesn't specify, but from what's here, it most likely involves the complete destruction of the sun and the system, like we did at Terminu. I think we all want to try and avoid that again if possible." Lendaria@crystyl:"It does seem rather... extreme. Wha'bout restorin' their containment measures?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"We might be able to restore power to the central shield generator, but not the aceton assimilators. If we fix one, there's going to be no way back for the away team. Any ship in transporter range - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - to extract them will be caught by the reactivated assimilator. Depending on how smart the fungus is, without the assimilators, they might just be able to restore power to one of the derelict - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - ships and spread that way. If they can build basic bioships of their own, it's not a stretch they might be able to take over another ship, or its warp drive..." Lendaria@crystyl:"There's gotta be a way t'setup them assimilators without gettin' trapped by 'em..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Let me see if there's anything on how the Progenitors did it..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"Yes! There is detail on the entire containment process. But we're going to need help." Lendaria@crystyl:"From... other departments?" she asks hopefully Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"No...from the Iconians." Lendaria@crystyl:"F'real? Should've figured they'd have a hand in somethin' so nasty. Good job they'se friends now then!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 nods, "The Progenitors set it up and remotely activated the generators when they were out of the field, but their plans for maintenance involved calling in the Iconians for help and using their - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - remotely projected gateways to go in and out of the aceton assimilators without being caught in their range." Lendaria@crystyl nods, "I'll let Keelah know to put in a call then" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Trenick: "We'll keep studying the data here. I'll have it all catalogued in the database for future reference." Lendaria@crystyl smiles, "Perfect! Thanks both, I'll report in an' let ya know th'outcome" she waves, heading out --- Human NPC@annpc#557 | Some more time into the game, Sin finally gets Boone to take off his jacket, but not without having to relinquish two pieces of her own clothes beforehand. He still doesn't shed much more - Human NPC@annpc#557 - light in conversation, but maybe his uniform holds something... Sin@crystyl maintains her confidence, having purposefully let a couple of rounds slip to reel him in, she starts playing properly Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone continues to play, giving it his all as well.. Human NPC@annpc#557:rolls 70 (1-100) Human NPC@annpc#557 | Without being able to read his mind fully like with the others, he puts up quite a match...but Sin does eventually get him to strip down like the others, albeit with a few more pieces of - Human NPC@annpc#557 - her own clothes sacrificed in the process Sin@crystyl grins, "I'll say this much, you make it more interesting. It's almost like I have to put in effort to get your pants off you" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone grins back, "Thought you could use a challenge once in a while. It's no fun winning all the time." Sin@crystyl:"Try it some time, then see if you still say that" she smirks Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "We'll see. So, do I get to put my clothes back on now, or do you get to keep them as the winner?" Sin@crystyl grins, wrapping his tunic around her shoulders, "Nope! All mine now. Sorry, those are the rules" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone smiles, "Oh well, I can always replicate another uniform. Good game, Ensign. I look forward to playing again." Sin@crystyl:"Make sure to wear some nice underclothes. I look good in red" she winks Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone smirks and stands, "I'll keep that in mind." He stands and steps away from the table, leaving Sin with his clothes Sin@crystyl savours her victory with the others a while longer, "Well, I think I've stripped you lot down enough for one night. Until next time!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | The others say their farewells and wave when Sin heads off as well Sin@crystyl makes her way back to her quarters, Boone's tunic draped proudly over her shoulders like a loose jacket Sin@crystyl gets inside before shrugging it off. She pours herself another drink and then sits down to rummage Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin finds mostly ordinary things in the jacket's pockets, but there is one device which looks unfamiliar to her... Human NPC@annpc#557 FX | https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/0/03/Space-time_scanner.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130316133031&path-prefix=en Sin@crystyl tosses the jacket aside once more, investigating the gadget more closely Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin is unable to determine the exact purpose of the device, though it looks like a tricorder of some kind, but certainly not a Starfleet one Sin@crystyl starts poking and prodding at the thing, trying to make it work Human NPC@annpc#557 | Suddenly, the environment of the room around her fades into another as if she is in a holodeck. Sin finds herself standing in a strange, ethereal plane. Random pieces of video footage seem to - Human NPC@annpc#557 - be hovering around her. Many of it come from recent episodes involving the Latenter- its encounter with the mystery ship at Mirhassa, flying through the alternate timeline Vault, the showdown - Human NPC@annpc#557 - with the Justicar, as well as the mystery ship inside the Sphere. There are, however, other scenes which don't seem related: Human NPC@annpc#557 FX | https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/8/81/Khitomer_Conference_attendees.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180503203213&path-prefix=en Human NPC@annpc#557 FX | https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/6/61/Battle_of_the_Binary_Stars_Fleets.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20171007123529&path-prefix=en Human NPC@annpc#557 FX | https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/034/793/908/4k/diogo-vincenzi-tos-beauty-01.jpg?1613246300 Sin@crystyl 's eyes jump from one image to the next, trying to make sense of it all, "What... the hell... is this thing...?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin spots one she recognizes: something that looks like a ship, but instead of windows, the whole ship glows brightly, like a star in the void. It is very similar to an image the - Human NPC@annpc#557 - Basilisk showed her and Eva when they were communicating with the ancient cosmozoan Sin@crystyl tries varies means of controlling things to focus on that image, voice command, telepathy, even gesturing, and of course more fiddling with controls Human NPC@annpc#557 | She's not quite sure what she did that worked, but the display does focus on the scene for a few moments. It is definitely the image the Basilisk showed her, though not quite from the same - Human NPC@annpc#557 - angle. Then... Human NPC@annpc#557 | The environment flickers again. Sin is back in her quarters, except there is a light shining coming from outside the window Sin@crystyl moves closer to peer out Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin sees that the light comes from the ship she was just looking at in the scene, glowing like a sun. Then, a beam of the same colour erupts from it, striking the side of the VF and causing - Human NPC@annpc#557 - the room to shake. The VF returns fire, phaser bolts peppering the glow around the shining ship, and the light flares up brighter than ever. A second glowing ship moves into view, firing - Human NPC@annpc#557 - another shot on the VF and causing more shaking, knocking some items from Sin's table behind her. The VF seems to be turning away, retreating from them Sin@crystyl scrambles through the mess and out into the corridor to rush to battle stations Human NPC@annpc#557 | The ship continues to shake as Sin runs through the halls. Then, there is a much more violent impact, knocking Sin off her feet. The hull ruptures further down the hall, but somehow Sin isn't - Human NPC@annpc#557 - being dragged towards the hull breach like she should be by the vacuum Sin@crystyl begins to see things less in the physical sense of the world she normally lives in and stands straight, looking around and taking in the details while slowly and curiously walking towards the - Sin@crystyl:- breach to see out, treating it more like a dream or a vision Human NPC@annpc#557 | The breach is soon sealed by a force field, but before it is, a light shines in through it. On the spot the light shines, two beings form. They are bipedal, but featureless. They have no face, - Human NPC@annpc#557 - no creases in their skin where the joints should be, no fingernails or toenails, almost like an unfinished sculpture of some sort. The two figures begin to stride down the VF's hall Sin@crystyl follows, continuing to observe Human NPC@annpc#557 | As the two figures move down the hall, the door on the far end slides open and two security personnel emerge, phaser rifles raised Human NPC@annpc#557 | Security: "Stay where you are! Do not move!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | The two figures freeze, and one of the security personnel moves to tap her combadge when suddenly the two figures begin advancing forward. Their movements are graceful and acrobatic, - Human NPC@annpc#557 - twirling and flipping and leaping off walls. The security personnel open fire, phaser bolts flying down the hall, but the faceless figures dance around them Human NPC@annpc#557 | One of the bolts pass right through Sin, doing her no harm at all Human NPC@annpc#557 | The security personnel try to back away into the lifts, but the faceless figures are too fast. Their fingers extend forward into sharp bony knives as they pounce on the two security enlisted, - Human NPC@annpc#557 - knocking them back onto the ground. There is not much of a fight- the kills are swift and instant and soon the two rise to their feet, staring at the bodies of the dead security personnel Human NPC@annpc#557 | Then, their textureless skin begin to ripple like a wave. Their height shifts as well and hair sprouts from their head as more distinct body features form. When they are done, they look - Human NPC@annpc#557 - exactly like the two dead crewmembers Human NPC@annpc#557 | The impostor crewmembers kneel down and begin stripping the dead crewmembers and putting on the uniforms. Sin notices that they made the kills in a precise fashion so that the blood did not - Human NPC@annpc#557 - stain the clothes at all. They dress quickly and when they are done, the impostors briefly examine the rifles before tapping them and turning them on the bodies, vapourizing them and - Human NPC@annpc#557 - then burning away the blood marks on the floor Human NPC@annpc#557 | The impostor who has taken the form of the male crewmember taps his combadge, "The intruders have been neutralized." Human NPC@annpc#557 | The two impostors step into the turbolift and disappear as Sin hears Boone's voice behind her, "I believe you have something of mine, Ensign." Sin@crystyl tightens her grip on it, refocusing her mind back on the present, "Quite the toy you happened to let slip into my grasp. But I believe I was quite clear on the rules earlier, and you were equally - Sin@crystyl:- uncaring" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone smiles, "I had figured you were onto me. I let you have it so you would have more reason to believe what I will tell you." He holds out his hand, "Now if you would, I can return you to - Human NPC@annpc#557 - your quarters." Sin@crystyl turns, holding it behind her back, "I believe I know the way. Why don't I just hold on to this until you explain yourself" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I mean you and your crew no harm. I'm simply here to observe. I had hoped to explain it to your captain at a more suitable time, but I anticipated this might happen." Sin@crystyl:"Well then, let's go back and hear all about this shall we" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone nods, "Lead the way." Sin@crystyl heads back, keeping the gadget closely under guard. She makes herself comfy perched on a chair, though is clearly staying sharp and prone Human NPC@annpc#557 | The quarters are still a mess, with things scattered all over. Boone follows inside, "Press the top-most button, and then the section at the very bottom of the device. That will show you - Human NPC@annpc#557 - the present once again." Sin@crystyl looks at the device and does as instructed, "You sure you don't have a spare one of these? Would make doing my chores /so/ much simpler" Human NPC@annpc#557 | The room fades back to normal once again Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "Oh I can make more, but I'm still going to need that one back." Sin@crystyl:"Why don't you try the little speech you've been preparing in the back of your mind all night first. If you've put enough effort into it, I might decide you can be trusted" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "You're probably wondering if I'm one of those saboteurs you've heard about, aren't you?" Sin@crystyl:"The thought had crossed my mind, but doesn't explain your little box of tricks here, or anything else for that matter" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone takes a seat nearby, "Well, I don't blame you for thinking that. What made you suspect me?" Sin@crystyl:"You have far too much grace under pressure at our little poker game. And you've spending a lot of time with the witch. And your implant is on a different frequency to everyone else's" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone grins, "Is it, now?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin realizes that she can now read his mind properly! Sin@crystyl focuses on him, "You... hey! That's cheating!" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone chuckles, "The technology is still fundamentally the same, but it's easier to use in our era. I can change the frequency with a thought, without having to visit my nearest sickbay." Sin@crystyl:"So you are from the future" she doesn't sound surprised Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone nods, "But as I said, I'm just here to observe for the most part. That's why I've been visiting the Witch. She prefers not to directly interfere as well, but she would if it was - Human NPC@annpc#557 - necessary. You know her. So if I was a threat to the crew, I wouldn't be spending time with her, would I?" Sin@crystyl:"That's debatable, the jury's still out on her too for the most part. So what exactly does 'observe for the most part' mean?" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "I'll act if the need arises, but I'm just here to keep an eye on everything due to the temporal elements of what's occurring. Ideally I would've liked to be on the Latenter, but - Human NPC@annpc#557 - Starfleet Intelligence ships are difficult to infiltrate, even with the tools I have at my disposal. The Valley Forge was a much safer option, as you've seen from firsthand experience," he smiles Sin@crystyl:"Wait... temporal elements? /You're/ the only temporal element at play out here, and the Latenter is all the way back in the core on a completely unrelated mission" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone: "For now. I'm here to ensure the timeline isn't altered, and I can't tell you too much without changing things. Now that you can see my thoughts though, you know I'm telling the truth." Human NPC@annpc#557 | Sin senses that he is indeed sincere and telling the truth! Sin@crystyl:"You do seem to believe what you are saying at least..." she tosses the scanner back to him, "But we'll see. Now you've come clean, I've got to pick the witches brains before deciding what I say and- Sin@crystyl:- to who" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone catches the scanner and smiles, "I was just about to say. Pay the Witch a visit if you don't believe me." Sin@crystyl:"Oh I will, don't you worry" she nods to the sofa, "Oh and you can have your tunic back too. Not my colour" Human NPC@annpc#557 | Boone grins, "Thanks." He gathers up his clothes and makes his way to the door, "See you around, Ensign." Sin@crystyl:"Count on it" --- NPC@annpc#557 | After Lennie reports their findings to Keelah, she settles down in her ready room to contact the Coalition back in the Sphere Keelah@crystyl settles at her desk with a fresh cup of spiced tea, sipping while she waits for the hail to go through NPC@annpc#557 | A brief wait later, a Lodzki appears on the screen, "Captain Keelah. This is Coalition Central Communications. How may I help you today?" Keelah@crystyl:"Good day. I need to speak with the Iconian representative, could you please patch me through?" NPC@annpc#557 | Lodzki: "The Iconian? Yes, I can patch you through, but she tends to answer whenever is most convenient for her. Or maybe just when she feels like it, I'm not exactly sure which. Just be - NPC@annpc#557 - prepared for a bit of a wait." Keelah@crystyl:"Understood. Please emphasize the importance of our discussion" NPC@annpc#557 | The Lodzki nods, "I'll be sure to do so. Patching you in now." NPC@annpc#557 | Waiting music plays... NPC@annpc#557 Sound FX | https://youtu.be/6RO7K4W-c9g Keelah@crystyl curls her feet up under herself, sipping her tea while she waits NPC@annpc#557 | The wait lasts a good few minutes, much longer than the initial wait to connect to the Coalition. However, it ends up being not quite as long as Keelah was expecting from the Lodzki comm - NPC@annpc#557 - officer's comment. T'Kay's Iconian visage appears on the viewscreen, "Captain Keelah Se'Lai of the Valley Forge. I am told you have an urgent matter to discuss?" Keelah@crystyl nods, "Yes T'Kay, and I appreciate you taking the time to hear me out on it" she taps her console, "I am forwarding you the coordinates to a system we have encountered, are you familiar with it?" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "No, we are not. Much of our data on this region was lost along with this Sphere, and we are still uncovering all we once knew. My heralds are searching the Heart of Unity's databases for - NPC@annpc#557 - information on it now." Keelah@crystyl:"It was once used by the Progenitors to contain a failed experimental defense against the Horde - with your people's assistance. In short; their containment is now failing and I am calling to - Keelah@crystyl:- request your assistance in re-establishing the measures your people once helped the Progenitors put in place here" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "What have you learned about this experiment, and their method of containment?" Keelah@crystyl taps some more, "I'm sending you all our data on it including the Progenitor logs we have salvaged. It is an indiscriminate bioweapon created by the Kratt. As for the defenses, there is a shield - Keelah@crystyl:- generator we can repair, but what we lack the facility to do is reinstate an aceton assimilator field surrounding the area" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay looks through the data silently for a few seconds before speaking again, "You are unable to reactivate the devices without trapping yourselves." Keelah@crystyl:"Just as the Progenitors were by all accounts. According to the logs, they relied on your people's assistance to avoid that pitfall by use of your gateways" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "From your data, it appears we may have another advantage as well." Keelah@crystyl:"Oh? We could certainly use all we can get here" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "Many of the devices have infected inside or around them. Your people will risk infection and further spread, but the data suggests that the bioweapon infects only organic matter. Our - NPC@annpc#557 - constructs and Nuhar drones will be immune and more ideal to performing these repairs." Keelah@crystyl:"An excellent suggestion. Can I take that to mean that you would be willing to despatch a ship and assist us in containing the situation here?" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay nods, "I will send a small task group to perform repairs and ensure the weapon does not breach containment before the system is restored. They shall arrive as soon as they are rallied." Keelah@crystyl bows her head, "Thank you T'Kay, we will hold position until they arrive. I know it is not likely with us so far away at this point, but rest assured that - should you ever have need - you can - Keelah@crystyl:- always call on me to repay your kindness" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "Keep an eye on your own people. That is as much for your own safety as it is ours. A saboteur was found among you, and there may very well be more. That is all I shall ask of you." Keelah@crystyl:"On that we are in agreement. I heard about what happened with the Challenger, most disturbing" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "I hope the same people are not found on board your other vessels, but it is an eventuality we must be prepared for." Keelah@crystyl:"Not just other Starfleet vessels, but other Coalition ones - or even beyond. We have no idea who is behind this so must remain open to all possibilities" NPC@annpc#557 | T'Kay: "Agreed. Be wary, Captain." Keelah@crystyl nods, "Ever vigilant T'Kay, farewell for now" NPC@annpc#557 | The comm ends --- Sin@crystyl finishes with Boone and once he's away, she heads out to question the witch. Finding her in her quarters, she chimes the door Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The door slides open the moment she chimes it, as if pressing the chime opened the door Sin@crystyl steps in, "I know the chime really isn't needed, but we both continue to keep up pretenses and social protocols around the ship, don't we" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch looks up from her spot on the sofa, "That we do. Come, have a seat and ask what you have come to ask concerning Aditsan Boone." Sin@crystyl sits across from her, "What is your business with him?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Business? Well, our work will intersect at some points. We are here for different, though not altogether unrelated reasons, but that is something you have yet to see. We are, however, - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - here in a rather similar position. He is here to monitor, while I am here to guide, but we both possess much information we cannot yet reveal to you. To one another however, we may discuss far - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - more freely. But I would describe it as less business and more pleasant company." Sin@crystyl:"That's all so sweetly innocent you're almost deserving of one of these uniforms" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "I thought you would not believe me. I see the world differently as you do now, but that does not mean I may not enjoy some of things I did when I was a being like yourself. You of all - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - people should understand; after all, you would soon get bored of being cryptic all the time, would you not? The Q have certainly found ways to entertain themselves over the course of their - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - work as well." Sin@crystyl:"Perhaps. So what of the things I saw through his little gizmo? Forthcoming as he was, that strikes me more as your kind of deal" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "What did you see?" She stretches out a hand. "Show me." Sin@crystyl takes the witches hand and closes her eyes, allowing her mind to return to the moment she activated the scanner Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch closes her eyes for a moment again before reopening them, "That was not a vision. That was a temporal projection. You focused on the image you saw earlier, and the scanner showed you - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - a relevant projection of a possible future, one which includes an intersection between the subject being observed and your present location, the Valley Forge." Sin@crystyl:"That's right... the initial image I saw that reminded me of the vision I had long ago. I tried to focus the device on it. But even that first vision still lacks context, so this latest 'projection'- Sin@crystyl:- even moreso!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "I believe that is because the device is meant for use by a temporal agent who would understand the context, not you," she smiles. "But you recall when the Basilisk showed us the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - vision, it came with the sense of danger. What you have seen reinforces that, does it not?" Sin@crystyl:"Yes but that was a sentient mind trying to communicate. This was a manufactured device reacting to my own input" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "The technology of that device is more intuitive than you think. It is not truly sentient, but also not dissimilar to the Nuhar fighters in the Valley Forge's hangars." Sin@crystyl:"But if it wanted to communicate a vague sense of 'danger', then why create such a specific scene using so many unfamiliar elements?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch smiles, "Because it did not wish to communicate anything. It is not alive. It has no desires- it is merely responding to you. A combination of your input, both physical and mental." Sin@crystyl:"Then... what is the point of it?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Part of what you saw was because you invoked the vision the Basilisk gave you to begin with, and part of it was due to the buttons you pressed at random. In other words, there was - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - none. It reacted to your input, but you did not know what you were doing. It would be akin to a pre-warp individual accidentally scanning a rock with a tricorder. There is no particular - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - significance to that specific rock, but the readings given by the tricorder are still accurate. You simply scanned something you did not intend to scan." Sin@crystyl:"Fair enough, but scanning something by accident doesn't change the results a tricorder gives either. I saw something - maybe something I shouldn't have - but that doesn't change that I saw it. Now - Sin@crystyl:- I need to know what exactly it was that I saw" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Precisely. As I said, the readings are still accurate. What you saw was not a vision. There are no metaphors, everything is exactly what it is. This has not yet happened to the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - Valley Forge at this point in the timeline, has it? It is not familiar to you?" Sin@crystyl:"No, and you said it was a possibility - not a certainty" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Yes. That device is a temporal scanner. If it has not yet happened and is not happening in the present, then it is a possible future. Depending on events that occur between now and - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - then, it may or may not come to be in this timeline. It is a certainty- the ability for you to see it means it /will/ happen. But it may not happen to you." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Everything that can happen and could have happened does happen in some timeline. Whether it shall happen in this one is yet to be seen." Sin@crystyl:"And I suppose that's about as straight as you're going to be about this, isn't it" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch grins, "Yes. Though there is one other thing I may enlighten you upon." Sin@crystyl snorts, "Don't say that like you've already enlightened me today" she smirks Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch smirks, "Haven't I? Perhaps it is your comprehension you should question, and not my enlightening." Sin@crystyl:"Well by all means, go ahead and enlighten me. Just to make sure you stay true and do so at least once" she grins Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Very well. The role of these temporal agents is not too different from my own. I am here to guide you, not merely as an individual or a crew, but as a timeline. I can see and manifest - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - in multiple futures, but I cannot know for certain which course this one will take. Every future I visit is one that exists, but it may not be the future of this timeline. The Q and their - Evanne Dra@annpc#557:- trials are to test how ready you are. Once a civilization passes the Final Trial, a guide such as myself is sent to help you find the paths onto the timelines that leads to the better outcomes." Sin@crystyl:"So it's your job to make sure that the future I saw doesn't come to pass" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "Not necessarily. You did not see the destruction of the Valley Forge, merely some damage to the ship. There are far worse timelines which can still come to pass." Sin@crystyl:"How reassuring... I guess that will have to do for now then, and at least know what these light beings are capable of should they actually appear" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Witch: "You will most likely encounter them. Whether your encounters will be as explosive as the one you have witnessed...that remains to be seen." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch grins, "Of course, I cannot tell you more than that." Sin@crystyl stands, "Of course not, that would take the fun out of it. We must simply continue on as though you're not here and trust that you'll interject should we divert too far from the desired path" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Witch smiles, "I prefer to guide you a little more subtly, but more or less." Sin@crystyl:"I'd expect nothing less" she smiles a little, turning and heading out --- Keliaya@anncaris | Some time later as Keelah monitors a bridge shift... Keliaya@anncaris | Gwi: "Captain, we have an Iconian gateway opening up nearby." Keelah@crystyl:"Our reinforcements, very good" Keliaya@anncaris | The viewscreen switches to show the gateway as it opens. An Iconian cruiser emerges from it, followed by a Nuhar Watcher and an Elachi escort, with four smaller Iconian - Keliaya@anncaris - raiders escorting them. The gateway closes behind them once the entire group is through Keelah@crystyl:"Open a channel to the lead vessel" Keliaya@anncaris | TQ: "Channel open, Captain." Keelah@crystyl:"This is Captain Se'Lai of the Valley Forge" Keliaya@anncaris | No response Keliaya@anncaris | TQ: "We're being hailed by the Nuhar construct. It's requesting to use the holo-emitters." Keelah@crystyl waves a hand, "Alright, we'll speak to the Nuhar then. Put them through" Keliaya@anncaris FX | A hologram forms in front of Keelah. The Nuhar's avatar appears to be a younger humanoid woman, dressed in what appears to be a Starfleet uniform. Instead of a department colour stripe, she - Keliaya@anncaris - sports a white stripe, no pips, and in the place of the usual delta combadge is an emblem typically associated with the Nuhar Keliaya@anncaris | Avatar: "Hello Captain Se'Lai! I'm Reactive Watcher. It's a pleasure to meet you," she extends a hand towards Keelah Keelah@crystyl stands with a curious smile as she extends a hand to meet that offered, "You are not familiar to me, though your avatar certainly does not look out of place here" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "I was one of the last constructs to be completed before the Battle of the Heart. We have not had a chance to meet, though I am familiar with some members of your crew who - Keliaya@anncaris - worked often on the Foundries, such as Mia." Keelah@crystyl:"Of course, so you are one of the new generation. It warms my heart to finally be able to meet one of you properly" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher's avatar smiles back, "And I am honoured to meet the Captain that made my creation possible!" Keelah@crystyl:"I must say you are rather more... chipper than the older generation. Is this a common trait or a personal one I wonder, much like the choice of avatar actually... but this is not the time to - Keelah@crystyl:- indulge in personal curiosity, I am sure everyone with you is eager to get to work" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "It is a bit of both, but yes! Down to work. T'Kay informs us that synthetic life will be more advantageous in performing the repairs here than biological, and you have a - Keliaya@anncaris - mission to proceed with in either case. We'll have the situation under control from here," she smiles again. "Do you have any additional data to provide, other than what you sent the Iconians?" Keelah@crystyl:"That pretty much covered everything, but we'll send you all of our sensor data from up here and the ground mission, in case it should help any. I would remind you as well that the immunity of - Keelah@crystyl:- synthetic life is not a known factor, but a supposition. I advise caution to anyone who enters that field. But if you all have things in hand, I am more content to take some time to get to know - Keelah@crystyl:- you a bit better before we depart" she smiles Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "Oh don't worry, I won't be entering the field personally. I'll just be providing drones for the repair efforts and running overwatch in case any of the spaceborne forms - Keliaya@anncaris - attempt to leave the debris field. All the drones will be thoroughly checked to ensure none of the infection is brought back before they are reintegrated. As for myself, well, you're already - Keliaya@anncaris - wondering about the personality, aren't you?" Keelah@crystyl smiles, taking her seat again, "You certainly are far more colourful than one typically expects. You mentioned prior interaction with Mia, is this her influence...?" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher nods, "Partly. She did not directly contribute to my coding- I was still created from the templates designed by my Creators long ago and stored within the Foundry. However, - Keliaya@anncaris - our specific personalities are not covered by our code. That element is more or less a blank slate which is shaped by interacting with those around us, just like biological life. That is why - Keliaya@anncaris - the older constructs have different personalities as well, though they're more similar to one another as they all began interacting with either Nuhar or Sorobeth." Keelah@crystyl:"Fascinating. This is our first look at the development of Construct intelligences, so I'm sure you have received quite the run of attention. I am particularly curious though as to how the older - Keelah@crystyl:- Constructs are being with you" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "Very protective. Which is understandable, seeing as we are the first new constructs to be produced in a very long time. I had to ask them to allow me to come on this - Keliaya@anncaris - mission, and they were only content with letting me come when T'Kay assured them that I am only serving in a low-risk support capacity." Keelah@crystyl smiles, "It is to be expected from new parents. Not an entirely accurate analogy I know, but perhaps the most relevant. I know the trauma caused to your kin over the eons of losing all hope. You - Keelah@crystyl:- are the very embodiment of that hope realized so being overprotective is only natural. It is however something that they will have to learn to grow beyond just as you learn and grow. I hope it - Keelah@crystyl:- proves to be a smooth and fruitful journey for all concerned" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher smiles back, "I hope so as well. Though many of us participated in the battle, I'm the first new construct to be sent outside the Sphere. If I do well and return safely, the - Keliaya@anncaris - other constructs will likely send more of us out. Speaking of the other constructs, another reason for the difference in personality may be a result of the hardships they experienced over - Keliaya@anncaris - their long lives. We new constructs are still very young, and though I was born during the conflict inside the Heart, I'd say I've had more positive experience with the Coalition coming - Keliaya@anncaris - together and our victory over the Horde." Keelah@crystyl smiles, "As my daughter might say 'it is a great time to be alive'. You shoulder a tremendous responsibility on behalf of your kin, you must be very proud to have this opportunity" she smiles, "I - Keelah@crystyl:- have come to know the Constructs better than most organics could claim, and so to know that they have chosen you to be the first to have this privilege fills me with confidence in your success here” Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "Thank you! Though we were built from the original Foundry templates, many of us received improvements learned by both former Nuhar factions immediately upon completion, not - Keliaya@anncaris - to mention that we are still in mostly pristine condition and more capable than a number of the older constructs, so we are a good choice for missions." Keelah@crystyl:"As you will soon demonstrate to the others. So I have to ask... the uniform?" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "As I'm sure you know already, we constructs choose our avatars based on what we identify with the most. Some of us choose more abstract avatars to communicate with - Keliaya@anncaris - biological life to highlight our differences, but others have something we relate to in a species or civilization. Your people helped usher in this new and more optimistic era for mine- both - Keliaya@anncaris - through your actions and your attitude. Not to mention you are fairly new and young in the grander scale of things. I thought it was the most fitting choice." Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "I would've projected myself with Mia's uniform, but that's what makes her stand out from you and I didn't want to affect her uniqueness, so I chose a variant of your - Keliaya@anncaris - contemporary uniforms." Keelah@crystyl:"And you honour us with your selection. Mia would probably welcome the opportunity to catch up with you while you are here too. We should not let the opportunity go to waste" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "I look forward to it! If you have any questions about our plans here, feel free to ask me as well. The heralds and Elachi are not the most talkative." Keelah@crystyl:"Yes, I noticed. If it is not intruding on their work I would like to stay and observe their methods. Assimilator fields are rare, but not unheard of. This is a welcome opportunity to learn more - Keelah@crystyl:- about them that could help future encounters. There is also the possibility of further information locked away in the facility systems that could shed more light on our current mission and the - Keelah@crystyl:- Kratt as a whole" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "You are welcome to observe. Our estimates predict that it will take five weeks to reactivate all the devices currently offline, and likely more time to conduct repairs and - Keliaya@anncaris - maintenance on the still functional assimilators. Staying for the entire duration may not be the most productive, but you may observe and ask for transport into any of the facilities using our - Keliaya@anncaris - herald friends' gateways." Keliaya@anncaris:"What about the Elachi? They're biological, what role are they serving on this mission?" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "To study the bioweapon and identify methods to neutralize it permanently if possible. They are fungal beings themselves, and few are as suited to this field of research as - Keliaya@anncaris - they are." Keelah@crystyl:"My people have already begun such research, perhaps the Elachi would welcome a handover with them. We will spend a few days here to observe the assimilator process. If in that time anything - Keelah@crystyl:- in the way of opportunity to learn more from the facility, then we may well accept that offer to take teams through" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "We will let you know as soon as we are confident we have completely secured an assimilator. Then, your teams can safely travel in using the gateways to conduct your study!" Keelah@crystyl:"Thank you Reactive Watcher, and please extend our invitation to the Elachi; they are welcome to work here with my teams to share knowledge on the problem" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "I'll let them all know. It's been nice meeting you, Captain Se'Lai! I look forward to working with you for however long you stay here." Keelah@crystyl:"As do I" she smiles, "And I'll make sure Mia knows you are here, so expect to hear from her too" Keliaya@anncaris | Reactive Watcher: "I hope to hear from her again soon!" The Watcher's avatar waves before disappearing Keliaya@anncaris smiles, "I'm liking this new generation of Nuhar." Keelah@crystyl chuckles, "I'd know that cheery little wave anywhere. Mia certainly kept this quiet" Keliaya@anncaris:"Maybe she was just busy with all her work on the Foundry! But then again, she did keep the Belyia simulation fairly quiet. And how advanced holo-Emma was. So I wouldn't put it beyond her," she - Keliaya@anncaris - chuckles as well Keelah@crystyl:"Alright, let's settle in for a while and see how things play out here" she stands, "You have the bridge" Keliaya@anncaris nods and steps over, taking the command chair

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NPC@annpc#557 | Not long after the Coalition task force's arrival, Mia enters one of the holodecks to reunite with the Reactive Watcher. The Watcher's human hologram is already waiting for her within as she - NPC@annpc#557 - steps through Mia@crystyl strolls in, beaming and waving to see her old friend, "Rea! Ooh, you made yourself a new outfit!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea smiles back, "Hello again Mia! It is still the same outfit, just a little more personalized. People were mistaking me for an actual Starfleet officer when I was communicating with the - NPC@annpc#557 - older look!" Mia@crystyl giggles, "You would make a fine Starfleet officer!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Thank you! I chose this appearance because I thought I had things in common with you. What do you think of the new look?" Mia@crystyl:"We think it is perfect" she takes a closer look, "We are curious however, what is the emblem you wear in place of the Starfleet Delta?" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "That is the new emblem for the Nuhar! We created it from a fusion of the symbols of the old Nuhar factions." Mia@crystyl:"Ooh how wonderful! Next you'll be having it emblazoned on the side of your hull too!" she giggles NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "That's actually a good idea. You have names and symbols on your hull, after all!" Mia@crystyl:"We do! Though we are not certain how often they are legible to anyone... except when in dock facilities of course" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Still a nice touch to have, when I don't have anything more critical for my drones to do," she smiles. "What do you think of the stripe colour?" Mia@crystyl:"We would surmise that you chose it to further segregate your appearance from Starfleet personnel. You are not the first to use white for this in fact, so we believe it is a prudent choice!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Really? Someone else used the same?" Mia@crystyl:"Oui! Ms. Laesa adopted the exact same approach when she walked among the people here!" a holo of Laesa appears beside them NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Ooh, interesting. I initially started with red since it was your command colour, but I thought white was more distinctive. Your commanding officers wear white shoulders as well, I simply - NPC@annpc#557 - moved that part into the strip so it was different, but carried a similar visual effect." Mia@crystyl:"And you have achieved the desired effect perfectly! It is so wonderful to see you out and about like this now too, how are you liking space beyond the sphere so far?" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "It is all very exciting! This must be how you felt when you were first able to leave the holodeck, Mia!" Mia@crystyl:"Quite possibly! Though for your sake we hope you did not have so long in the sphere that you felt trapped" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Fortunately not! There is quite the amount of things to explore within the Sphere itself as well, though it is certainly refreshing to be in a different environment now!" Mia@crystyl:"Does it feel more like being in a natural environment for you - being in open space?" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea nods, "It does! I imagine it must be quite the opposite for most biological beings, who would feel more at home in an atmospheric environment, even an artificial one such as the Sphere." Mia@crystyl:"That is why we're curious! Have you continued spending much time around organics since coming online, or focused more on the company of other Nuhar?" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Both, actually! The other constructs were fairly eager to spend time with me as expected, and I've learned quite a bit from their experiences. I also find interacting with organics very - NPC@annpc#557 - interesting and educational as well, however." Mia@crystyl:"We believe there is value in continuing to pursue both, as we suspect you do since you went to the trouble of creating such a distinct avatar!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea smiles and nods, "Yes, I created this specifically to interact with organic beings! We Nuhar constructs do not require avatars to facilitate communication among ourselves. I considered - NPC@annpc#557 - using your uniform look, but that look is quite closely tied to you now. And this modern uniform is more recognizable as well." Mia@crystyl:"That is logical. Though we imagine your avatar would look very good in our uniform!" she giggles NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Your uniform also comes in other colours, like the modern uniforms, does it not?" Mia@crystyl:"Oui! The same primary colours used by modern Starfleet uniforms in fact - red, yellow and blue!" her uniform changes colour each time to demonstrate Mia@crystyl:"This is a variant on science blue worn by medical staff. It is a much silkier fabric, but not as practical or hard wearing" Mia@crystyl:"We do also have a modern variant on our current uniform, though we should technically wear gold by modern standards, and we prefer red!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea tilts her head, "Gold by modern standards?" Mia@crystyl:"Oui! When Starfleet returned to the 3 core colour scheme in the years following a break from it after our time, red and gold switches allocation. In our time, Capitaine Keelah would have worn gold - Mia@crystyl:- as a Command officer - and engineers & operations wore red!" she demonstrates with a twirl NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Interesting! But blue was still science and medical as you mentioned previously?" Mia@crystyl nods, "Yes, that one has never changed. We do not know why" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "The silkier fabric would not be a problem since this is a holoprojection for communication, so practicality is not a concern. Though I'm not sure if a medical look would be the best fit - NPC@annpc#557 - for me," she chuckles. "That seems more befitting of a Responder construct. I suppose all constructs are adept engineers, but we Watchers are built for patrol, recon and combat support." Mia@crystyl:"And you have already chosen your avatar appearance based on your personal interpretations! There is no need to change for the sake of change. If one day you look at yourself and it no longer feels - Mia@crystyl:- right, then you should change! And speaking of your design function, have you been getting as much attention as we anticipated from the Coalition fleet development project teams?" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "Some, yes, mostly to learn more about the Foundry and the way I was constructed. The older constructs are contributing more to the project, as many of them have extensive experience - NPC@annpc#557 - incorporating other technologies to work with our own." Mia@crystyl:"We still think your experiences could prove invaluable to them as the project moves forwards. The elders may have experience of integrating technology, but you know what it is like to take your - Mia@crystyl:- proverbial 'baby steps' in the company of the Coalition and to grow up around them" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "That is a good point. Some of the other new constructs are helping out with the project as well. I will be sure to pass on that insight when I return!" Mia@crystyl:"If in doubt, seek out Cadet T'Pia. We are certain she would welcome the opportunity to learn from you... or with you!" she chuckles NPC@annpc#557 | Rea chuckles as well, "I heard she was working on the project. I'll seak her out once this mission is complete! But that is plenty about me- how are you doing on the Valley Forge, Mia? - NPC@annpc#557 - Enjoying exploration once again now that the Horde are finally dealt with?" Mia@crystyl beams, "Of course! This is our home after all! But the galaxy is more volatile than ever, and one does not need optronic sensors to see that there is a great danger lurking in the shadow. We heard - Mia@crystyl:- about the Challenger, and fear this to be the beginning of a new threat. But there is beauty like we never imagined being discovered all the time too! Just look at the Valley Forge now, a starship- Mia@crystyl:- that is now... pregnant!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "I heard something about that, but I wasn't sure if it was an error. How is that possible? Even we Nuhar constructs cannot reproduce in such a fashion!" Mia@crystyl giggles, "That certainly would be a sight, well... the conception! But non! We must not digress down this path... The ship was sort of inhabited by a bio-mechanical lifeforce. It seconded one of - Mia@crystyl:- cargo bays where it began to grow and has infused the main computer with a semblance of self awareness" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea chuckles, "That does make more sense! Where did you encounter such a being?" Mia@crystyl:"It was an energy cloud we encountered a while back, here!" she smiles and the room turns into an astrometric chart showing the region NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "If the Valley Forge obtained some degree of self awareness, I wonder what would happen if a Nuhar construct encountered it. Don't worry, I don't plan to take the risk of finding out - NPC@annpc#557 - firsthand. I'm just curious!" Mia@crystyl:"As are we! But you are correct, returning home from your first time being let out of the house to tell the elders you are pregnant with a part biological lifeform might not be the best way forwards" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea laughs, "Exactly! I am curious to see what will happen with the Valley Forge now, though. Do you know what type of lifeform it is that is being born?" Mia@crystyl shakes her head, "Even it's very nature is new to us. We are able to facilitate a degree of dialogue with the ship regarding it's instincts now, but the entity instilled a fierce protectiveness - Mia@crystyl:- over the growing lifeform. So much so that it is still unwilling to even allow the crew to directly monitor the growth. We are confident though that this will change as things settle - the Valley - Mia@crystyl:- Forge has been shaped by its crews conduct after all, and they are exemplars of virtue!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "That you are! And it's just another mystery I will look forward to finding out about!" Mia@crystyl:"We all look forward to it" Even our little ones are excited by the prospect of a new sibling!" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea: "You mean your drones, or the fighter hybrids you have on board?" Mia@crystyl:"Both really, they are all our little ones!" she grins, "We are like a whole little family unit here now after all we have shared after all" NPC@annpc#557 | Rea smiles, "I'm looking forward to meeting this latest addition to your little family as well." --- Evanne Dra@annpc#557, Rianni and Thorkildsen wait in one of the VF's airlocks for an Iconian gateway to take them through to study an aceton assimilator, all three dressed in EV suits Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Thorkildsen: "Why do we need to wear suits? I thought the Iconians were repairing the systems. Or are they saving power and keeping the environmental systems offline?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"There /are/ no environmental systems." Rianni@crystyl:"That would certainly be good reason for the suits" Evanne Dra@annpc#557:"The Progenitors designed the entire system to be as inhospitable as possible. Even though the infected can survive in a vacuum, they thought making it difficult for other life to stay alive once - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - they were trapped was a good way to deny them as much biomass as possible. So they purposefully designed everything exposed to the vacuum." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Thorkildsen nods, "Not very convenient for us, but I suppose that's the point. Good thing the Iconians and Nuhar are doing most of the repairs rather than our teams." Rianni@crystyl:"Who knows, maybe the Iconian gateway will also portal in a pocket of atmosphere for us to work in!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | A few moments later, a gateway springs to life in front of them and a herald emerges from it Evanne Dra@annpc#557 FX | https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sto_gamepedia/images/4/4b/UneasyAlliesHerald.png/revision/latest?cb=20160529051259 Rianni@crystyl:"There's our ride" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "You are the ones who seek to study the aceton devices?" Rianni@crystyl looks up at the Herald and nods, "We are" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "Come with me." He promptly turns and disappears back into the gateway Rianni@crystyl glances to the others and steps through Evanne Dra@annpc#557 and Thorkildsen step through as well. They emerge on the inside of a Progenitor facility, but this one is significantly smaller than the comm facility Eva and Lennie visited before. It is simply - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - a single chamber, with various consoles and machinery spread throughout it. The gateway closes behind them as they arrive Rianni@crystyl looks around curiously Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Basic automated Iconian constructs work at several of the consoles, with Nuhar and Iconian drones hovering about doing their work Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "This specific assimilator has been cleansed of all trace of the infection. It is safe for organic life." Rianni@crystyl:"Besides the whole no atmosphere thing, I assume" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "Of course. Though you are in no danger from the bioweapon." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Thorkildsen: "Do you mind if we have a look around at the assimilator and its systems?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "You may study the device as you deem fit. The drones will notify you if you are in the way." Rianni@crystyl:"Could you provide an overview of who is currently performing what task?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Herald quietly hovers over to a console, where he taps away at its interface. It broadcasts a schematic of the assimilator, highlighting the drones and what each one is doing Rianni@crystyl follows, peering around his larger frame, "Ah, most convenient. Thank you again um... Herald? Is that what we're supposed to call you? I don't know if you even have names..." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | The Herald stats bluntly, "I am the Seventh Harbinger of T'Kay." Rianni@crystyl:"That's... quite the mouthful. Are you the only Harbinger on this mission?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "Correct. I represent T'Kay and lead this mission in her name." Rianni@crystyl:"Then I shall call you Harbinger!" she chirps, quickly shying away again, "If... that's ok, of course" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Herald: "As you wish." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 chuckles at Rianni's reaction, "Don't worry, they might still look intimidating, but they're on our side now." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "I serve T'Kay, and T'Kay has instructed that you are to be protected." Rianni@crystyl:"Yes, well the same could be said of the Lupan but I still wouldn't want to accidentally offend one of them. I've not served as long as the rest of you still, so this is my first real encounter with- Rianni@crystyl:- Heralds. I confess, I am as curious about Harbinger and his people as the assimilators we are here to study!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "I exist to serve the mistress. I do not act on my own whims, except if warranted to defend myself and the other heralds and constructs under my command." Rianni@crystyl looks back up to Harbinger, "I hope my curiosity is not an inconvenience. If I am keeping you from your duties, I will restrain from any more" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "My duties are to oversee the repairs. The drones and biped constructs are the ones conducting the repairs. Another herald," he motions over to a smaller herald with far less ornate - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - clothes and equipment, "is directing the efforts here. I have arrived to facilitate communication with you. You are not an intrusion upon our work." Rianni@crystyl smiles, "Great! Well, we still need to learn about the process at work here. Perhaps you could show us how everyone's tasks here come together to achieve the final goal?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "This is one of the more extensively damaged aceton generators. We have already restored much of it. The parasite was very thorough. Previously," he motions to the outermost hull - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - of the assimilator, "both the power drain systems and the radiation emission systems were crippled and the central core responsible for the conversion of energy to radiation was taken offline." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "Most of the drones are working externally where their mobility is most suited. The biped constructs are doing much of the internal work, as the design is still Progenitor and some - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - of the technology optimized for limbs and fingers. The core has been repaired but not yet reactivated, as the other systems still require further work." Rianni@crystyl:"So am I right in thinking that this whole process is achievable because of your gateways? They don't trigger the active assimilators even from in here?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "That is correct, though the assimilators do not trigger on technology inside itself. You can safely remain here after the assimilator is activated, there will simply be no way off - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - as any vessel that attempts to move into range will be intercepted and drained by the assimilator. Our gateways allow us to depart the assimilator once the repairs are complete." Rianni@crystyl:"As I thought. So in theory, a Junayd wormhole could serve the same function. Assuming of course, one has access to a fine enough generator for personal use" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "That is correct, from my limited understanding of Junayd technology. However, the inorganic nature of our bipedal constructs and Nuhar drones make us more suited to cleansing the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - infection prior to repairs, and if Iconian constructs and drones are already required for this task, there is no need to call on the Junayd for assistance." Rianni@crystyl:"No, of course. I was simply considering future potential. After all, we may one day encounter an assimilator field and not be able to call on you to help shut it down - or repair it as we are here.- Rianni@crystyl:- That is why we are here to learn, the biohazard element is unique to this setup but the assimilator technology is not" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "A valid observation. Our specific gateway technology is not necessary for reaching the assimilators. Any transportation technology with sufficient range to bypass the range of an - Evanne Dra@annpc#557:- assimilator will suffice. The other alternative is the one that the parasite has employed- purely biological forms of transportation that do not rely on artificial energy sources." Rianni@crystyl:"Well unless the ship's baby turns out to be a shuttlecraft, I don't see that becoming a valid option for us. So what of the actual assimilator system itself? Hardware repairs are - I believe - if - Rianni@crystyl:- nothing else, much more obvious as to the requirements but the operational system could be something quite different" she looks to Thorkilsden, "That is, if I am not mistaken, Sir" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Thorkildsen nods, "That's right, Lieutenant. It's not your standard ship's computer for sure." Rianni@crystyl nods, turning back to her new friend, "So it is most important that we gain sufficient insight into that process if we are to eventually develop the skill to manage these fields as well" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "I have not studied the software in-depth, as the parasite has not tampered with it and a simple reactivation will suffice in this case. To my understanding, the primary difference - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - is that there is virtually no user interface. This field is fully automated. The assimilators are also linked and communicate with one another, but there is no method to control the entire - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - network from any one location. Each assimilator is autonomous, and the link serves to share information and coordinate. In this way, they are not dissimilar to Nuhar drones." Rianni@crystyl:"Would it not be possible for someone to tap into this link to override the assimilators?" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "There is no command function, only communication function between the assimilators. It is possible to spread a virus through the link, but once a few assimilators are infected, the - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - rest will react to sever the link. It is also possible to use the link to confuse the assimilators' coordination. This may be advantageous, but each individual assimilator will still lock on - Evanne Dra@annpc#557 - and drain any vessel which enters its own range, so it will not help escape such a field." Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Thorkildsen: "Knocking just a few of them out could give a ship some breathing room, though. That's a start." Rianni@crystyl:"All useful insights! Well, I should probably get some hands on studying with the interfaces here and get to know the systems. We will alert you if we require any assistance Harbinger, thank you!" Evanne Dra@annpc#557 | Harbinger: "I shall remain here to answer any queries."