[Act 2] Ensign Harrison Blackwood - Desperate measures
Darragh Hopkins
(( Apologies for the length in this sim. I think some lines got missed in previous sims and I wanted to give the opportunity for others to respond ))
(( Earlier - Shuttlebay 2 - Independence-B ))
Blackwood: Well, I’ll follow your lead on this part. What do you need me to do?
Esma: You will need to pry open those three lower panels.
She gestured to a set of access panels near the floor of the shuttle. There was very little room to work.
Blackwood: Response
Esma: I will make sure the power has been shutdown to that section. Do not touch the lines or you may be severely injured.
Blackwood: Don’t worry, I wouldn’t want to inconveniance you.
If he knew any better, the next words out of Esma’s help wasn’t about to help.
Esma: You are unlikely to be killed by any residual charge, but it would likely be an incredibly painful experience. And with Dr. Kiani on the surface and Lt. Wong on the bridge, I would have to rely on my academy first-aid training in the immediate aftermath of any such accident to render treatment to you.
She raised an eyebrow slightly.
Esma: I am confident of my skills, but I would prefer not to.
Blackwood: Thanks, Esma. I feel a lot better. . again will try not to get hurt.
She nodded and Blackwood rolled his eyes. He took up the drill from the toolbox, switching it from off to on, allowing the blade to spin, and ensuring it was on the correct setting.
Esma: It would certainly add additional work during this duty shift.
Blackwood: We wouldn’t want that, would we?
The drill spun again, an insistent whirr as he unscrewed the first panel, each screw at a time before grabbing the edge and pulling it out of place, revealing a portion of the EPS grid.
Blackwood: You mentioned we need to replace part of the EPS grid? Could it just be a misalignment in the conduits causing fluctuations or is it cleaner to replace it all?
Esma: Response
Harrison nodded.
Again, more whirring. A few seconds later another panel is off and set aside. Then finally the last one. He gave a look over the entire grid, not exactly sure what he should be seeing.
Blackwood: You’re the engineer. So what are we looking at, what else do you need me to do?
Esma: Response
(OOC: Continue as you want!)
(( Bridge - Independence-B ))
Blackwood: Uh… according to navigational sensors I don’t think we can clear this thing’s arc and catch up to them with the power I’ve got. Need some options!
Carter: Hold your course. If we lose a little ground at least we have a good idea of where it is and might be going.
Wong: Strangely, it seems like they haven’t noticed us yet. They seem to be busy doing their own thing.
Keehani: Or it’s trying to slow us down?
Summerside: Response
Reade: We can tag it with a round. Track its location from the residual damage.
Blackwood caught a reflection of the FDC envoy step forward. Damn, she doesn’t look too pleased with us. But this was an irregular occurrence and the Ensign was unsure which protocol was of the higher importance given the unknown ship’s affiliations.
Esma: If we are unable to pursue the vessel, perhaps we can mark it.
Carter: Mark it? Like with some sort of iridium patch?
Wong: Maybe? As long as they don’t notice we’re tagging them in the first place.
Summerside: Response
Reade: Good thinking, Esma; we are on the same page it looks like.
Esma: Damaging its warp nacelles would likely cause it to deposit verterium or other easily detectable materials from its exposed warp coils in its wake.
In between inputting flight patterns, Blackwood had another curious look at the reflection. This time Keehani’s attention was drawn to his fellow Ensign, seeming aloof with her suggestion.
Carter: That it would...like an Old Earth warship leaking fuel oil...
Wong: What if we need to speak to them later? Damaging their warp nacelles would send the wrong message.
Keehani: Commander, from a diplomatic standpoint, I do not agree with this approach. This is a form of aggression. Once again, I ask if we can contact the vessel and attempt to open dialogue.
Summerside: Response
Reade: The shot is ready at your command; just give me the signal.
Carter: Fire...
Blackwood perked a brow at the order, he didn’t know why he was surprised, after all, he was controlling the ship as it pursued the unknown vessel.
Wong: oO Let’s hope we don’t have to talk to them later…. Oo
The Envoy eventually glanced towards her friend, having heard his stray thought. If they did have to talk to them later, she knew who it would be that would have to do the talking.
And this current Starfleet approach would *not* make the FDC’s job any easier.
Blackwood: Uhm. Did we hit them, then? :looking around:
Summerside/Esma: Response
Reade: OK, I am picking up the verterium as Esma detailed. It looks like it's heading to the Paak homeworld; maybe that thing was an early warning array?
Carter: Could have been...
Wong: A warning array disguised as a pulsar that records sound?
Carter: A pretty fascinating piece of technology if you ask me…
Blackwood: My guess would be whatever that thing is, it’s what took down Commander Ukinix and Commander Hopper’s shuttle.
Summerside/Esma: Response
Reade: Maybe we are overlooking something; I can try to run some diagnostics from the scan the probe took earlier.
Carter: Do that, and look for any transmissions from that thing to the Paak homeworld.
Wong: Truthfully, I think we’ve uncovered something much more unsettling to say the least.
Blackwood opted to keep his silence, molding it over in his mind, continuing to guide the Independence-B closer to the Paak Homeworld, maintaining a suitable distance in orbit.
Carter: We’ll see soon enough…
Summerside/Esma/Ivanovic(?): Response
Wong: It’s the idea that we’re now aware that someone else is also watching the Paak and that they’re clever enough to disguise some of their equipment as space phenomena such as this pulsar.
Blackwood: Do we have any idea how exactly they did that?
Summerside/Esma/Ivanovic(?): Response
Wong: I’m concerned about the who and why, as I’ve said earlier. We don’t know anything about this and likely, neither do the Paak.
Carter: That’s why we’ll monitor them from a safe distance.
Blackwood: Sitting back and letting them make the next move might tell us more about them.
Summerside/Esma/Ivanovic(?): Response
Wong: The other thing I noticed is that they didn’t seem too concerned with our presence. Almost as if we didn’t really exist. Almost like how Borg drones really don’t pay attention to you unless you give them a reason to.
It was at this point that Keehani decided to make the FDC’s presence known.
Keehani: Which is *why* me must attempt dialogue, Commander. ::Gesturing to screen:: The sabotage act we’ve just witnessed may provoke an incident with one species we’ve not made contact with yet, and possibly another with which Ambassador Vataix is just starting dialogue with.
Carter: Keehani…
Keehani: We are making a lot of assumptions about the relationship between the Paak and whoever ::gesturing to screen:: this is.
Carter: They are pretty good assumptions in the absence of facts, which we are trying to obtain.
Reade: ::smiling:: John makes a good point Keehani.
Blackwood remained silent, knowing better than to get involved in discussions of senior staff.
Summerside/Esma/Wong: Response
The atmosphere on the bridge was shifting, the HCO kept his station but glanced once more at the reflections of both Keehani Ukinix and Lieutenant Commander John Carter. He noticed her attention spun from the acting Captain to the reporters, then back again.
Keehani: I will be recommending to Ambassador Vataix that the FDC register a formal protest with Starfleet regarding the events of the last ten minutes. This is not diplomacy, this is subtle aggression. I would recommend, once again, that we attempt to establish communication.
Blackwood: oO Desperate times, desperate measures…Oo :He argued with himself:
Carter: Envoy...you are more than welcome to log your protest, but know this...I am in command of this ship and I am responsible for her and all the souls on board and planetside. The decisions made here are not subject to your interpretation or armchair quarterbacking. When it comes to the lives of our people on the surface and on this ship, we must act to preserve those lives and this vessel so we can act to the benefit of the FDC. Are we clear?
Keehani: Response
Carter: Mister Wong...distance from the ship?
Wong: Response
Carter:: nodding:: Mister Blackwood, reverse course. Take us back to the Paak homeworld.
Blackwood: Aye, Captain. Lieutenant, how are our impulses looking?
Summerside/Esma/Wong: Response
Reade: Engines are yours ::looking at Harrison:: Take her away.
Blackwood’s fingers danced across the controls, the Independence-B turning towards the Paak Homeworld, the blue and green orb growing closer in the viewscreen.
Carter: We will take no action against our new friends unless they show aggression towards us.
Keehani: Response
Scotty just scratched his head, and looked back at his console.
Carter: Allright Envoy. You're up. Wong, hail that ship…
Wong: Response
Reade: Commander, they are trying to attempt a scan of our vessel, they will not get any info while our shields are still up. Not sure what their attention is with the scan though.
Carter: Response
Blackwood: Holding position prior to orbital insertion, ready to descend at your commander, sir. :Harrison kept an eye on the readouts for any potential threats:
Summerside/Esma/Wong/Keehani: Response
Reade: There still up, uh they are at ::looking down to console:: 75%.
Blackwood: No active weapon locks on us, as far as I can tell.
Summerside/Esma/Wong/Keehani: Response
Reade: Well here we go.
The connection opened up with the vessel, everyone looked at the viewscreen.
Carter: Response
Blackwood kept his peace, furthering his attention and priorities to their current threat assessment. His fingers hovered over the flight controls, ready for any evasive maneuvers.
Summerside/Esma/Wong/Keehani: Response
The viewscreen flickers revealing the interior of the alien ship and the dimly lit atmosphere with enigmatic technology, but no aliens show themselves. Regardless the commander spoke offscreen, he sounded angry.
Unknown Vessel: =/\= :irate: You have intruded on our Paak, outsiders! Who is responsible for such an act? =/\=
Carter/Keehani: Response
Summerside/Esma/Wong/Reade: Response
Unknown Vessel: :irate: =/\= These Paak will not be forgotten. Our Paak will be notified of these Paaks and they will impact the decisions of our Paak regarding your Paak’s Paak. =/\=
Blackwood arched a brow, looking over at the UT’s readings. Something wasn’t right.
Blackwood: (Low) Sirs, the UT is reportedly experiencing more difficulties with translating this audio feed than the original translations we’ve had. I’m not sure why. :looking at Wong:
Carter/Keehani: Response
Summerside/Esma/Wong/Reade: Response
Unknown Vessel: :irritated: =/\= Keep your Paaks for the Paak. What is the meaning of these Paaks and what is it you want from Paak? =/\=
Carter/Keehani: Response
Summerside/Esma/Wong/Reade: Response
Blackwood: (Low) :to Wong: Can I suggest we loop in the away team on recent events?
Wong: Response
Carter/Keehani: Response
Summerside/Esma/Reade: Response
Amity Station
Helm/Com/Ops
A240007HB2