Commander Ava Munro - Intercept
Ava Munro
(( Bridge - Deck 01 - USS Artemis-A ))
A probe of some sort, three distinct trails heading in different directions and a rogue ship heading to Nascaik territory. With a name like Nascaik Defence Coalition, you don’t want your hoverball to land in their yard.
MacKenzie: Do you suppose it's a signal of some kind?
Jovenan: Maybe, if its purpose is just to let the recipient know that the sender is still functional.
Storm: What do you think would happen if it weren’t still functional?
Ava didn’t like where the thought could lead and someone agreed with her.
Jetripar: I shudder to think.
MacKenzie: Is there a way we can disrupt the signal? Cut off... whatever it is and whatever it's sending?
Jovenan: We can intercept the signal and either block or bend it so that it doesn’t reach the relay… or we could just destroy the object. However, there’s a possibility that something happening to the object is the message the Afalqi is looking for.
Ava checked the status of the two shuttles, who had been instructed to send regular updates. She also wanted to see if they had discovered any mysterious probes.
Storm: But that might be exactly what we need. The likelihood that it would start a reaction might be beneficial. If that’s what the Afalqi is waiting for, we have two shuttles that are pursuing the other trails. One of us is likely to pick up on something.
Jetripar: Springing a trap can be beneficial if you're aware the trap is there.
MacKenzie: ::rocking her head from side to side until turning to Munro:: What do you think?
Munro: I don’t like the idea that we would destroy something when we have no idea what it is and what the potential impact could be? We don’t even know why Havun has taken the ship. We’ve assumed that he did it willingly. He could easily be under duress and that probe might be his way of trying -
Before she could finish her thought Jovenan chimed in with, at least for Ava, disappointing news. Something about all of this did not sit well with her.
Jovenan: Captain, the signal has ceased. Neither the object nor the relay are transmitting any more.
There was too many unanswered questions and mysteries. Obfuscation was a tactic that was benefitting the people desperate to get away with the Afalqi.
Storm: I can confirm.
Jetripar: ::nervously:: What does that mean?
MacKenzie: It means that it likely did whatever it is it was supposed to... Analysis?
Munro: I agree, Captain. Did we manage to capture a copy of the signal for analysis?
Jovenan: Caught the object in sensors. Scanning for the internal composition. ::pause:: Um, it seems the probe is dead. I’m not sure if it suddenly broke down or if something initiated the self-destruct.
Given the timing she leaned towards the second option.
Storm: The internal mechanisms may not be functioning, but it is intact.
Munro: Would it be safe to bring it onboard?
Jetripar: Response
Storm: My biggest concern is that if we bring it aboard, we could be bringing on a Trojan Horse.
Jetripar: I'm not sure what that is, but it sounds bad. Can you examine it from here?
Ava nodded in agreement, it was a cautious observation.
Jetripar: This seems very convenient that it would break down right now...
MacKenzie: I'm inclined to agree... Suggestions?
Munro: We launch a warning beacon, and we continue to track the Afalqi. Do we have that signal recorded?
She looked to the communications officer who nodded. Ava stood up and walked to the back of the bridge behind the centre seat at the Mission Ops console.
Jovenan: Response
Storm: If we look at this situation from a tactical perspective, Havun wants to get away, but he wants to do so stealthily. The easiest way to do that is to stay still.
Jetripar: I'm not sure I understand. He gets nowhere that way.
MacKenzie: I'm a doctor, not a tactician. Someone help me here.
Munro: I disagree. We need to stop making assumptions about Havun because we don’t know anything about why he’s doing this? It doesn’t make any sense for him to stop now and then launch a probe. Unless he wanted to either distract us or contact someone for assistance?
And she did not want to say that Jetripar is not a reliable source of information, but it remained unspoke for now.
Jovenan: Response
Storm: If we pass him and our focus is out in front of us, he can sneak back in behind us and get away easily.
Jetripar: Wouldn't that leave him in unfriendly territory, and in the path of a returning hunt?
MacKenzie: You think they're here? Or closeby?
Munro: No. There’s no physical evidence that indicates that. Yet. We’re also travelling at warp, so we’re to assume that Havun is matching our warp speed and staying on the same course as us?
Jovenan: Response
Jetripar: Let's assume that he stopped here and is somehow cloaked. How long could he maintain the cloak?
Jovenan/Storm: Response
Jetripar: Well, we must do something. What was causing the sensor echo to pick up on this in the first place. Is that something we can magnify?
Munro: I’m trying to decrypt the signal now.
MacKenzie: Mr. Secretary, it would be helpful if we knew what to look for - are you able to give us access to the internal data you have for the Afalqi's scientific capabilities? It might help us narrow our search parameters.
Jovenan/Storm: Response
Ava began to analyse the encrypted data, running several decryption protocols.
Jetripar: Yes, I can do that. Finally, something I can help with.
The secretary moved quickly to a nearby console.
Jetripar: There. You should have access, as much as I can provide.
Ava pulled up the information onto her console, and began to analyse their protocols and adjusted the decryption sequences.
MacKenzie: So how can we figure out where he is? And, more importantly, can we flush them out?
Munro: The sequence I’m running is beginning the decryption :: to Jetripar :: that information was useful.
Jetripar/Storm/Jovenan: Response
MacKenzie: How long do you think it will take?
Munro: A few minutes :: looks to the navigational data :: We’re approaching Nascaik territory. Captain, the shuttles have advised that the trails went dead. I’ve ordered them to return to the Artemis.
Jetripar/Storm/Jovenan: Response
MacKenzie: Proceed.
Munro: We’re receiving a hail from a Nascaik warship. There’s three of them. Weapons are armed. They are on the border of their own territory. Im picking up debris?
Ava glanced towards Jetripar.
Munro: It doesn’t match the Aflaqi. Looks like a Nascaik Supply Ship might have been destroyed.
Jetripar/Storm/Jovenan/MacKenzie: Response
On the viewscreen, a Nascaik woman was seated. Tall, well-built with red eyes and golden coloured skin. Thick, illustrious silver hair spilled over her shoulders. The woman looked like a living statue, her body forged by Gods.
((OOC: I scoured the sim archive and the wiki for a description of the Nascaik but found none))
Nascaik Captain: :: severe :: I am Dota Bundara Eos of the Nascaik Defence Coalition, we have no war with the Federation. Why have you attacked us?
Ava blinked a few times. More delays, more obstacles.
Jetripar/Storm/Jovenan/MacKenzie: Response
Eos: MacKenzie? :: lifts hand and closes her fist ::
The viewscreen went dead.
Jetripar/Storm/Jovenan/MacKenzie: Response
