USS Excalibur Sim Log - 01.31.16

[Cdr Miranda Hawthorne 0]

MISSION BRIEF: With their cloaking device installed -- though it has caused some power consumption issues, which engineering continues to work on -- the Excalibur has slipped quietly across the vastness of Dominion-controlled space, as yet unnoticed. We're still several days out from our target destination.

 

Cptn Swain -> BEGIN SIM

Cptn Swain -> BEGIN SIM

Cptn Swain -> BEGIN SIM

 

Cptn Swain -> ::On the bridge, standing along the railing at the aft of the bridge.::

Hunter Matheson -> ::steps out of the conference room, PADD in hand, looking worn, his face skewed into a questioning frown::

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::On the bridge as well, looking through the results of some her data mining::

Rhan K'hal -> :: hovering behind Ithene again, her new furry shadow ::

Hunter Matheson -> ::snaps to:: Captain Swain.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Glances over to R'han, and hands him a PADD.::

Rhan K'hal -> :: takes PADD, skims over ::

Hunter Matheson -> ::figures he should have at least showered and changed::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::Seated in her chair, just as surly and out of sorts as she'd been the entire mission, she glanced up as Hunter emerged from his workspace.::

Tandaris Admiran -> ::exits the TL onto the bridge::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> (( Oh, did you get the turbolifts working, then? ))

Hunter Matheson -> ::Hawthorne:: Ma'am. Report analysis is... ready.

Cptn Swain -> (( Emergencies only, but I suppose he *is* the engineer ))

Maryse Dubois -> ::Sitting at a console on the bridge.::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::Seeing Tandaris on the bridge made her frown even more. She cleared her throat and stood, glancing at the others.:: Well, seeing as how most of the department heads are here, we should probably have a mini briefing. Everyone gather around.

Tandaris Admiran -> ((I think after a couple of days I can get a TL working.))

Cptn Swain -> ::Swain circled around. nodding in agreement.::

Hunter Matheson -> ::not happy with the results, he wonders if there's anything to report::

Rhan K'hal -> :: turns around, ears cocked ::

Maryse Dubois -> ::Stands and leans up on a railing.::

Hunter Matheson -> ::after a quick glance down, then a look up, he shakes his head:: Well, there's not much to report. Too much data missing, but I'll give what I have...

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Putts her padd down and looks up.::

Cptn Swain -> ::Tucks his arms behind his back and nods::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::She gestured to Hunter.:: Go ahead. At this point, anything is something.

Hunter Matheson -> Other than we have a frozen rogue planet buried in hostile territory around a belching star, with a planetary shield that could be artificial, and a team that's lost somewhere down there, that's it. ::he looks up, frustrated::

Tandaris Admiran -> ::looks intently at Hunter, trying to absorb this::

Hunter Matheson -> ::steps forward to hand the PADD to Hawthorne:: The closer we get, the more information we'll get, ma'am. ::Swain:: Sir. For now, that's about it. I do have one question, though.

Rhan K'hal -> :: tail loop-de-loop of amusement ::

Hunter Matheson -> Does the team happen to be biomarked?

Cptn Swain -> ::Lifts a curious brow.:: Yes?

Cptn Swain -> ::Shrugs:: Their communicators would be ID-tagged but honestly, I don't think anything beyond that. Or at least nothing I saw in the briefings indicated anything more than that. We know where they were supposed to meet their contact at, so I guess that’s where we need to start?

Hunter Matheson -> ::looking at what appear to be blank faces:: The standard bio-chemical signature implanted under their skin?

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Frowns:: And even if they were... with all that magnetic interference... well it would be like trying to... what's the phrase you humans have?

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> Some idiom about needles and stacks of something.

Hunter Matheson -> ::turns:: Well, ma'am, that's the beauty of biomarking. They seem to poke through a lot of magnetic interference because they're based on chemistry, not electronics.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> Needle in a haystack. ::For Ithene.::

Hunter Matheson -> Also, if the planetary shield is artificial, we might find a window.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Smiles politely:: I am aware, however, *our* sensors aren't readily able to cut through that much magnetic interference to locate a chemical signature.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Gives a glance over to R'han.::

Cptn Swain -> So why do you think it could be artificial?

Hunter Matheson -> Well, sir. Given the information we had 6 months ago, the computer gave it a 63% chance of being artificial.

Hunter Matheson -> ::flips through the PADD, since he's not a geek::

Hunter Matheson -> It said.... “The magnetic field fluctuates at intervals coinciding with high energy particles emitted from the planet’s star, specifically during the planet’s orbital perihelion. The magnetic field does not match the configuration of naturally-occurring fields.”

Hunter Matheson -> ::looks up;:

Cptn Swain -> ::Frowns more deeply, glances Miranda.::

Tandaris Admiran -> Why did someone go to the trouble of setting up an artificial field there? What's so important?

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::Her mouth drew into a tight, thin line. Nodding slightly, she glanced to Tandaris.:: That's what I'd like to know.

Hunter Matheson -> My guess, sir? To protect them from the star's emissions?

Hunter Matheson -> But I'd like to know why they settled here in the first place.

Maryse Dubois -> Something must be important to send a Starfleet infiltration team.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> We know so little else about the planet, like what they are mining and why. It could be any number of reasons.

Hunter Matheson -> ::nod to Dubois::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::She glanced to Ithene and Rhan.:: Do you two have anything to add?

Tandaris Admiran -> On a brighter note, as you might have noticed, I got the turbolifts working.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Frowns:: As I said sensors are going to be muddled at best; we won't be able to get a good look at the system itself until we get closer. With the cloaking device up, we can't use our main array.

Rhan K'hal -> Based on the stellar activity I'd say an artificial assist on the magnetic field isn't out of the question. Though we still don't have much to go on once we get there.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::nods:: Like I said we won't be able to do much analysis on the planet till we're much closer to the system.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Glances to R'han:: Though... I had an idea.

Cptn Swain -> ::Looks to Miranda, having heard Ithene's "ideas" could be a bit... "unorthodox"::

Rhan K'hal -> Where's my hard hat and biohazard suit?

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::She cleared her throat.:: Listen up.. .

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> I was looking through some of the information on the Dominion network. They have automated sensor probes that they routinely dispatch for... well who knows why. ::Pauses, looks to Miranda.::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> We had one other thing to tell you all now that we're nearly to the planet. The mission the team was originally sent on is no longer important, but so that you know, they were sent here to contact the Vorta to seek their help in stabilizing this system.

Hunter Matheson -> ::stabilizing?:::

Tandaris Admiran -> ::narrows eyes::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> We've both been told that this fact is not be recorded in any logs, briefings, or other communications. The mission and those sent on it are still classified. If you wish to continue your career with Starfleet, you'll remember this.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> This came from the Admiral himself.

Tandaris Admiran -> ::oh great, more "need to know" information he didn't want to know::

Cptn Swain -> ::Still behind the railing, arms tucked behind him.::

Maryse Dubois -> Speaking of the team. May I have their information so I can properly treat them if the need arrises?

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Wrinkles her nose.::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::She nodded to Maryse.:: I will get you their medical files. Keep the planetary conditions in mind, as well.

Maryse Dubois -> ::Nods.:: of course.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::Waving a hand at Tandaris.:: You want to fill everyone in on how the ship repairs are coming?

Tandaris Admiran -> Turbolifts are online. I'm bringing other support subsystems online one-by-one to prevent any overloads. Most should be online by the end of the day, and then I'll work on improving the efficiency of major systems like sensors. ::nods at Ithene::

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Nods:: Good.

Cptn Swain -> We've been fortunate so far that we're away from the major action of the Dominion's ongoing internal strife. However...

Cptn Swain -> My briefing from the Admiral indicated that we will likely be entering an area of ... increase tension in the next several days. As long as the cloaking device remains functional, we should slip through ... unnoticed.

Tandaris Admiran -> The cloaking device is stable, that much I can guarantee.

Cptn Swain -> ::Straightens his posture.:: I understand that none of you are thrilled about this mission -- I appreciate that; but we do not have the luxury of picking which missions we get. Your junior officers look to you for leadership. If you have doubts about this mission, I suggest you keep them to yourselves.

Cptn Swain -> I assure you, the Admiral would not have put our lives in danger, if this mission were not critical.

Rhan K'hal -> :: skeptical look ::

Hunter Matheson -> Captain Swain?

Cptn Swain -> Yes?

Hunter Matheson -> I understand that only those on the bridge who were briefed on the mission are privy to it, and all others should be excluded. Is that correct, sir?

Cptn Swain -> ::Nods:: Need to know basis.

Hunter Matheson -> Aye,aye, sir.

Cptn Swain -> ::Glances to Miranda.::

Rhan K'hal -> (( nominates "I assure you, the Admiral would not have put our lives in danger, if this mission were not critical." for BS of the year award ))

Tandaris Admiran -> ((Does Chocox need to know, or am I hiding everything from him?))

Hunter Matheson -> (second that)

Maryse Dubois -> ((lol))

Cptn Swain -> (( I would assume he would need to know /some/ things. Maybe not the full extent of our assignment. ))

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> Unless there's nothing else, this briefing is over. If you have questions, feel free to ask. We'll answer what we can.

Cptn Swain -> ((Though, obviously, you're free to "value your career" are differing rates.))

Rhan K'hal -> If the "mission is no longer important" what is so important about covert operatives to risk the quadrant's flagship on something that would normally be done by a trained SI team?

Tandaris Admiran -> ((Well, Tandaris doesn't really value his career, but he has enough respect for Hawthorne and Swain not to disobey their orders.))

Cptn Swain -> Due to the...on going situation we don't have those trained SI -teams. Excalibur has been assigned instead.

Hunter Matheson -> ::steps down to Hawthorne, hands her his report, and moves on to resume his position at helm::

Rhan K'hal -> :: frowns, knows a non-answer when he hears it but isn't going to press in a bridge briefing ::

Hunter Matheson -> ::logs in and begins the standard diagnostic procedure::

Maryse Dubois -> ::The answer doesn't sit well with her either.::

Cptn Swain -> And because we're who the Admiral trusts to complete this mission. Take the vote of confidence for what it is.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::She took Hunter's report, glanced it over, and then sat it on her chair.:: Need I remind you that most of our officers are now back in the Alpha Quadrant? We're one of the few remaining in the GQ that can handle something like this.

Hunter Matheson -> ::and it looks like all systems are go:::

Hunter Matheson -> ::wan smile, thinking lucky us:::

Hunter Matheson -> ::standard report:: Steady as she goes.

Rhan K'hal -> :: thinks "Starfleet Intelligence knows how to go through the wormhole same as anyone, so I'm still not buying what you're selling even if I have to use it anyway" ::

Hunter Matheson -> ::initiates a tactical sweep::

Hunter Matheson -> ::if K'hal said that aloud, he would remind him that Starfleet Intelligence is a contradiction in terms::

Rhan K'hal -> :: still frowning, looks down at Ithene's head :: So. Knowing we know what we don't know, what do we know that will help us know more?

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne -> ::Finds the files they'd been sent on the missing team and sends the medical portion over to Maryse for her own use.::

Cptn Swain -> ::Exhales.::

Hunter Matheson -> ::slight sigh of relief, seeing the way is clear:::

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> Well as I was thinking...

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> The Dominion has a sophisticated network of automated sensor probes. They send them out all the time. Their space is vast, even reduced in size by the Scorpiad War, it's still larger than the Federation, Romulan and Klingon Empires.

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Smiles:: We could tap into the system and borrow a probe.

Maryse Dubois -> ::Starts looking at the files as they are sent. Stops when she gets to one in particular.:: Hmm... ::Doesn't elaborate.::

Cptn Swain -> ::Glances to Maryse:: (mouths)

Cptn Swain -> "Need to know, only."

Rhan K'hal -> :: chuffs out a laugh :: We might as well, we've already done everything else.

Maryse Dubois -> ::Gives an understanding look, says nothing.::

Cptn Swain -> Ithene> ::Nods:: I thought so as well. I'll need your help. The sub-systems that manage their probe network is a little more... complex.

Rhan K'hal -> Well, it's about the only thing I can bring to these dratted covert missions. Just call me Sir Hacksalot.

 

Cptn Swain -> PAUSE SIM

Cptn Swain -> PAUSE SIM

Cptn Swain -> PAUSE SIM