[END ACT 1] Commander Wil Ukinix - Emergency

[Wil Ukinix]

((Bridge, USS Independence-B - Near sixth moon of Imza-4521-G))

 

... and on that sixth moon was a facility that Lieutenant Moore had had detected. Apparently, it was in lower power mode. oO Trying to hide, hmm? Oo

 

Ukinix: What can you tell me about this facility?

 

Aitas: It appears to be older Federation technology. ::to Moore:: If they’re using any of that shielding material there should be blank spots on your scans.

 

Moore: There are a few of them. Small shielded areas dotted around the facility. 

 

Ukinix: Is it Starfleet or “non-descript”? Any record of *anyone* in this part of the nebula moving out anywhere near here?

 

Aitas: Too common to be clearly Starfleet. And we don’t have any general colonization projects even proposed for this area. They’d have had to make a far more extensive survey for that authorization.

 

Ukinix: Alright. Lieutenant Miller, hailing frequencies open.

 

Miller: All hailing frequencies open, Commander.

 

Ukinix: =/\= This is the USS Independence-B to the facility on the sixth moon of Imza-4521-G. =/\=

 

There was absolute silence. Wil shifted in his chair. oO C’arn. Oo

 

Miller: Not hearing anything on any subspace at the moment.

 

Ukinix: =/\= Look, we’re not stupid, we can see you, you know. Look. =/\=

 

Still, nothing came back. Wil shook his head.

 

Aitas: I’ll add failing to respond to an investigation by Starfleet Command to the legal citations.

 

Wil tapped some buttons on his armrest console to get a capture of the viewscreen, a close up of the facility on the moon they were approaching.

 

Ukinix: Lieutenant Miller?

 

Miller: ::puzzled look:: Yes, Commander? 

 

He sent the picture to Miller’s console.

 

Ukinix: Transmit *that* on all hailing frequencies.

 

Miller: Oh… ok, sure thing. 

 

Wil rubbed his forehead, while squinting his eyes shut. The whole idea of the secret colony was giving him a headache, let alone the weirdness they were all seeing.

 

His frustration was evident, and he felt like he should apologise to the half Betazoid Aitas for the feelings he was feeling. Maybe he would later.

 

Ukinix: =/\= Seriously, last chance-- don’t make us come down there. =/\=

 

There was a long silence, a long moment where Wil held onto air in his chest, until he finally let it out with an exasperated sigh.

 

Ukinix: Lieutenant Moore, let’s get a security team ready to send down there.

 

Moore: Aye aye, Sir… ::Reaching for internal comms.:: =/\= Rodriguez, Gornin, grab four more, and gear up for an away mission. Prep for breach and clearing. =/\=

 

Stros: =/\= That will not be necessary, Commander. =/\=

 

Wil stood up to eye the bearded Vulcan male in a Starfleet uniform on the screen. He had salt and pepper hair wavy hear with a matching beard. He had his hands behind his back, and stepped out of near darkness into the dim light of a command centre of some sort. oO Nothing like a dramatic entrance. Oo

 

Stros: =/\= Our facility automatically engaged our defense systems when you crossed our sensor grid. =/\=

 

Ukinix: =/\= Right. And you are? =/\=

 

There was a slow nod from the Lieutenant Commander, as if realising he had to explain something.

 

Stros: =/\= Lieutenant Commander Stros. Head of Technological Research and Development for the “Whispering Wall” facility. ::Looking around the command center briefly:: And “Wandering Stone” it would seem. =/\=

 

Aitas in her FDC role stepped in to challenge Commander Stros, with protocol. He knew that Keehani, once she got a summary report of the events and Aitas’ role and performance, would be *very pleased*.

 

Aitas: =/\= Second Secretary Aitas, Cultural Affairs. The Diplomatic Corps are quite interested in hearing just why multiple facilities were established without proper procedure. =/\=

 

Stros: =/\= I can assure you, Second Secretary, We are here on orders from Starfleet Command. But I’m sure you aren’t here solely to cite us for some violation. =/\=

 

Ukinix: =/\= No, we’re here on behalf of Starfleet Command to work out why you lot went dark. =/\=

 

Aitas/Miller: =/\= Response? =/\=

 

Stros: =/\= I’m sure you sent an away team down to the “Whispering Wall” facility. And I’m sure you have discovered the “Interlink” project, correct? =/\=

 

Ukinix: =/\= Actually, Command briefed us on Interlink. And I do mean *brief*. But until we establish you’re legit, I’m not going to discuss operational matters. =/\=

 

Aitas/Miller: =/\= Response? =/\=

 

The Vulcan stepped a little closer to the viewscreen. oO A Vulcan that loves a bit of drama? Oo

 

Stros: =/\= Then I implore you, Commander, to help my team. An unknown vessel took control of our facility during tests of the “Interlink” system. They began to scan and download our entire database. Including all of the information on you and your crew, Commander. =/\=

 

Wil rubbed his hand across the whiskers in his beard, wondering if he could trust this bloke or not.

 

Ukinix: =/\= And how would they have done that? You need to tell us everything before we help you. =/\=

 

Aitas =/\= Response? =/\=

 

He moved closer to the viewscreen *again*-- and this time, he seemed urgent. A Vulcan, letting out his emotions was serious business.

 

Stros: =/\= There is one more thing, Commander. The– =/\=

 

The viewscreen suddenly switched back to its view of the moon and the small research facility below. Wil quietly sigh-scowled a little.

 

Moore: ::Quietly:: Damn. ::Looking over at Wil.:: Sorry, Sir. I don’t have an exact location, but we can get the security team in and clear the facility. 

 

Miller: That is an interesting proposition.

 

Aitas: I’ll inform you if we receive any further information from Amity, but I am afraid a thorough look will take days.

 

Ukinix: Alright. Aitas, understood, thanks for the update. Given this weirdness, we could be here for days anyway. Kaito, recommendations.

 

Moore: I’m going to keep security on standby, Sir.

 

Wil nodded in agreement and acknowledgement.

 

Miller: We do not have time to be honest. However, at least we are getting somewhere now. I wonder if we can dig into this Stros guy.

 

Wil started looking on his console, but a quick search turned up nothing. He wondered if that was on purpose by Command - removing all traces of the officer.

 

Aitas: I am noticing a few glitches in receiving the messages back from Amity. ::she looked to Miller:: Are you seeing the same? It’s relatively subtle.

 

Moore: Could be a targeted jamming attack, trying to corrupt the messages.

 

Wil grimaced for a moment.

 

Ukinix: Or a defense mechanism.

 

Miller: You are right. There are some glitches in the comms channels. I wonder if the buffer needs to be purged again.

 

Wil tilted his head from side to side, somewhere between cold and temperate on the idea.

 

Miller: I'd like to know if our comms are being tracked or traced. If you approve of it, Commander, we can do a simple test.

 

Ukinix: Sure, but we don’t have much time. Level 4 diagnostic please, Lieutenant Miller.

 

Moore: If they are tracing us, we might be able to do the same—a counter-trace back to the source.

 

Aitas: Response

 

Miller: If our comms are being tracked, I recommend moving to Starfleet secure channel 1050. This channel is usually only used in extreme situations, but this mare warrants the cause. :: To Aitas:: Does the FDC have a secure comms line that we can tap into as well?

 

Aitas: Possibly, but I’d want to eliminate a few other possibilities first.

 

Ukinix: I’m not sure we’re at “’mare” status yet, Lieutenant Miller, and we’d have to let the away team know we’re moving to 1050. Hold on that for a moment.

 

Miller: Commander, should we contact Stros again? When he first appeared, our comms started having micro glitches.

 

Aitas: There were issues with the messages I received back from Amity as well. If Interlink is already active it might explain the disruption?

 

Moore: Makes sense. Maybe Interlink uses a different LCARS build than the Indy—we could be seeing compatibility issues.

 

Ukinix: Very possible. Which means we have an interfacing challenge ahead of us--

 

He stopped when warnings sounded from Kaito’s security console. He jumped in his seat a little when he sensed a new set of emotions, before hearing a new unexpected voice. He snapped around quickly in his seat.

 

Stros: You and your crew seem to have a penchant for the unnecessary, Commander.

 

Kaito already has his phaser pointed at the Vulcan.

 

Moore: Computer, intruder alert!

 

The alarm blared on Moore’s instruction, which would put security on ship wide alert, which meant that either Kaito was being diligent just in case there were more intruders across the ship, or there were *actually* more intruders across the ship.

 

With at least one phaser pointed at the Vulcan, Wil gave a stoic momentary stare towards the Vulcan, before letting his displeasure of someone, somehow, getting themselves an assumedly a bunch of other people on “his” ship.

 

Ukinix: Yellow Alert, and what the bloody hell, Commander Stros.

 

Miller: Response

 

Stros: Hello there.

 

Wil rolled his eyes a little bit.

 

Aitas: That answers my question about Interlink. 

 

Wil nodded, and put his hands on his hips.

 

Moore: Sir, I am reading six other beam-ins. Security is moving to secure them.

 

Ukinix: ::Still staring at Stros:: Understood.

 

Miller: Response

 

Stros: ::His smile fading to a more “Vulcan” posture:: I hope you do not mind a few stow-aways, Commander.

 

Moore: Four more beam-ins, Sir.

 

Ukinix: Like I have a choice. Mind telling me what’s going on?

 

Miller: Response

 

Wil noticed Aitas move over towards him.

 

Aitas: :quietly, politely, to Wil:: Might I make a small suggestion?

 

Wil nodded, then furrowed his eyebrows a little when Aitas held out her palm. With Kaito’s focus on the Vulcan, Wil took a moment, then slowly placed his palm into Aitas’ hand like a handshake.

 

Miller/Stros: Response

 

Aitas then stepped back and offered a hand to Miller, before--

 

Aitas: ~You’ll need to ensure the default feed from the bridge is misleading, Lieutenant.~

 

 

((Flashback - Deck 5, Valhalla Lounge - USS Thor – Stardate 239809.13))

(OOC: Same flashback, different POV :) )

 

Wil was happily reading a PADD, browsing through the engineering schematics of the layout of Amity Outpost. He and the crew were a few weeks away from arriving there, and the former Veritas chief engineer found a moment to finally sit down and have a quiet moment, to really study the Outpost’s innards.

 

But that moment was unexpectedly interrupted by someone annoying injecting a thought into his brain.

 

Keehani: ~Hello, cousin.~

...which made him fling his PADD into the air in shock. It fell to the ground with an unceremonious small “thunk”, as he stared wide-eyed at the black eyes of a Betazoid woman-- his second cousin and mostly pain in the arse, Keehani. He dropped his jaw a little, before his stare focused on her with phaser like precision.

Ukinix: You scared the $#%& out of me.  ::Blinking eyes a few times:: What the bloody hell are *you* doin’ here?

Keehani: ~Ambassador Vataix hasn’t told you yet. I thought so.~

Ukinix: ::Pointing at head:: Stop doing that.

Keehani: ::cheeky smirk:: ~Doing what?~

He fumed a little, sighing through his nose at his second cousin from Betazed. She knew *exactly* what he was asking her to stop doing.

 

And then it dawned on him. What was the bad news he was about to hear... or more precisely--

Ukinix: What hasn’t the Ambassador told me?

 

Keehani allowed herself, uninvited, to sit on the chair opposite him. Thankfully, she switched to verbal communication.

Keehani: Well, cousin, I asked Ambassador Vataix for a posting at Amity Station.  ::Sitting up straight, hands clasping knee:: You’re looking at First Secretary Keehani Ukinix, Federation Diplomatic Corps.

 

Wil furrowed his brow and looked down. He let all the words Keehani had just said process in his brain. And it made sense logically, but his brain decided he needed to process it again just to be sure he’d heard it right.

 

And it came to one conclusion. His second cousin was going to be working on the Outpost. They would be colleagues. He felt his mind, his emotions, naturally react to the news, which sent out signals to his face to portray his innermost feelings on the subject.

Ukinix: :-|

((End Flashback))

 

 

Wil shuddered a little. The telepathic message felt more intense than when even Keehani had cheekily used telepathy to put thoughts in his mind, such was their family bond. He’d have to let Aitas know later that he just wasn’t a fan of telepathy. But for the time being, he appreciated the semi-clandestine nature of the message being told to him-- and, hopefully Miller got the message too.

 

Miller: Response

 

Moore: ::Still watching Stros.:: Commander, unauthorized beam-ins are detained, and medical is responding to treat wounded.

 

Ukinix: Thanks Lieutenant. ::To Stros:: Mind telling me how you did that?

 

Stros: Response

 

Aitas: Is there anything else I can assist with?

 

Stros: Response

 

The Indy received a comms message, indicating its source was Imza.

 

Miller: Response

 

Ukinix: ::To Stros:: You know anything about this? Should I be wary? More fake cave signals, or a fake message?

 

Stros/Aitas: Response

 

Ukinix: ::To Miller:: Righto, patch it through.

 

Richards: =/\= Richards to Independence. =/\=

 

Ukinix: =/\= Ukinix here Nathan, go ahead mate. =/\=

 

Richards: =/\= We’ve found a landing pad down here with some Talon Scouts. Looks like a couple might be missing. Might explain what happened to the colonists. =/\=

 

Ukinix: =/\= I can probably explain one of them. The head of research I think headed here in one of them with half of the colonists, who have just now beamed themselves on board the ship somehow. We have some of the colonists here. =/\=

 

Richards: =/\= Wait, you what? =/\=

 

Ukinix: =/\= I’m getting more information now about the rest of the colonists. See what you can find out about that second scout. Chat soon, let Hops know if you get a chance. Ukinix out. =/\=

 

He crossed his arms.

 

Ukinix: You need to explain to us what that cave system is.

 

Stros: Response

 

Ukinix: Right. And now we have the rest of the colony to find. ::To Eliana:: Lieutenant Miller, hail the away--

 

Trills began to sound around the bridge at just about every console.

 

Ukinix: Report.

 

((Flashback - minutes earlier))

 

Miller: I will keep monitoring. If someone wants to stay hidden, they’ve done a decent job. I’ve also picked up a very faint subspace distortion. It's not causing any issues with the systems, but either the edge of a cloaking field or the damping field may be involved.

 

Moore: That would make perfect sense for a planet-wide biosignature-hiding distortion field. It would have to not only mask real signatures but also generate fake ones—so it didn’t seem too quiet.

 

The former chief engineer tapped on the arm rest consoles to look at the information.

 

Ukinix: Okay, Lieutenant Miller, keep a trace on the subspace distortion for any significant changes.

 

((End Flashback))

 

Moore/Aitas/Miller/Stros?: Response.

 

Ukinix: ::Nervously:: That would be consistent with a cloak--

 

The ship shuddered and creaked from external phaser fire, right at the time as warning sounds *screamed* from consoles across the bridge.

 

Moore: Response

 

Ukinix: Red Alert! On screen!

 

Wil retook the centre chair, and just about had to do a double take. On the viewscreen screen, a green blob of light stopped waving, to form into a decloaked Klingon ship.

 

A Bird of Prey. Which fired again at them.

 

Sparks flew from the ceiling.

 

Ukinix: Evasive manoeuvres!

 

Miller: Response

 

Ukinix: ::Turning to Stros:: Bloody take the engineering console! And status!

 

Stros: Response

 

Wil’s mind raced back to the story from the 2370’s about Voyager encountering a generational Klingon ship full of a sect of fanatics that thought the then unborn child of Paris and Torres was some sort of chosen one.

 

The short version was the Klingons had destroyed their own ship, and Janeway eventually settled the Klingons in a new colony on a Qo’nos like planet in the Delta Quadrant.

 

Once the Klingon Empire had QSD tech like the Federation did, it allowed them to make contact with the colony named ghevchoq voqwI’ (which translated in Fed standard to something like “Region of the Faithful”).

 

But from the information Wil had, the colony had remained small, and as far as he was aware they weren’t that interested in becoming bigger or more embedded in the Empire other than receiving basic support from them.

 

Moore: Response

 

Ukinix: ::To Kaito:: Hold fire. ::To Aitas:: Remind them of the Khitomer Accords, Second Secretary?

 

Aitas: Response

 

Ukinix: Shields?

 

Stros: Response

 

Klaxon warnings began to sound again. Wil looked down to see a sea of read on his armchair console.

 

Computer: Warning. Shield systems, deactivated. Warning. Weapons systems, deactivated. Warning. Communications systems, deactivated. Warning. Warp core shutdown procedure, commenced.

 

Stros: Response

 

Ukinix: Interlink?

 

Stros: Response

 

The ship rocked from phaser fire again.

 

Moore: Response

 

Ukinix: ::To Moore:: Return fire! ::To Miller:: Get us out of here! Now!

 

Miller: Response

 

Aitas/Stros/Moore: Response

 

[Tags/End Scene for Wil!]

 

(OOC: Act 1 wrap up and Act 2 instructions to follow!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

==========================================

Commander Wil Ukinix
Starfleet attaché and Commanding Officer
Amity Outpost
V239511WU0