[END ACT 1] Lt. Robin Hopper: Isolation
Robin Hopper
((OOC Note - To prevent this sim being super long, and in accordance with the 48/72 hr rule, I’m leaving out some Lekasa tags that can be found in S’Raga’s last sim: An Unquiet Silence))
((Idrustix – “Mid-Islands Region”, Island 4, Valley))
All of a sudden, the HCO’s tricorder began beeping frantically from beside his accommodation pod. Robin went wide-eyed – half in alarmed surprise, and half in thrilled amusement. oO What timing! Oo
The Caitian Ensign dropped his stick to the ground – his just-perfectly-browned marshmallow landing in the dirt. A tragedy. Robin watched keenly as he peeled away from the campfire to check on his atmospheric scans, wondering about his urgency. She shot a concerned glance across the fire to Ukinix.
S'Raga: Commander Ukinix, can you please come here?
Robin’s eyes darted towards the Betazoid(s), then back to Ukinix. She offered him a calm smile, hoping he would understand her intended message – that she would mind their guest(s).
Ukinix(H): ::To rest of group:: Back soon for that ghost story.
As the Commander moved to see what the fuss was about, Robin redirected the conversation around the campfire.
Hopper: Anyone else know any good campfire stories?
Lohani: ::Testing to see if her marshmallow was ready yet:: Betazoids do not fear the afterlife the same way that humans do… Our stories about the tholtren of those who have passed on speak of a great voyage to join the will of The Four. Those who linger do so as ‘guardian angels’ to their kin.
Hopper nodded, unsure how to respond, shoving a second marshmallow in her mouth. She glanced at Lekasa and Grurg, hoping one of them would jump in with something… anything…
Lekasa/Grurg: Responses?
((OOC – Meanwhile, this conversation happens out of earshot of those around the fire…))
S'Raga: ::In a hushed tone, just for the Commander to hear:: Scans are picking alien lifeforms on the planet, and a ship of unknown origin in orbit.
Ukinix(H): ::Quietly:: What? What kind?
S'Raga: It's considerably smaller than the Kitty Hawk, but I can't tell from here what kind of offensive capabilities it has. It definitely doesn't match any known signatures from other species that we're aware of.
Ukinix(H): Okay. Well, we haven’t heard from the Kitty Hawk yet. Maybe it’s a first contact situation they’re going through.
S’Raga: What should we do about the aliens on the surface, sir?
Ukinix reached for his own tricorder and looked at the readouts.
Ukinix(H): It looks as though they beamed down nowhere near any of our colony sites. We’ll just await direction from Captain Rahman-.
Daughter Vananth-Polgonz’ expression suddenly changed, and she looked shrewdly over towards Ukinix and S’Raga.
Lohani: ::Alarmed tone:: What’s all this about an unknown ship in orbit? Aliens on the planet? Is it the Hirogen?
So… That’s what had S’Raga’s hackles raised. oO Dang telepaths! Oo Well, the cat was out of the bag now. Robin held out a hand, setting her own marshmallow down in the dirt as well.
The Commander pivoted on his foot to look back at the group.
Lekasa: Response?
Hopper: It couldn’t be. We’d identify a Hirogen vessel immediately – and besides, this world is not within their territory.
Robin hoped her assertion was true. The Hirogen were a loosely-organized group… one the Federation hadn’t had any proper dealings with in decades. A lot could have changed during that time… Lieutenant Grurg picked up her nearby tricorder, and tapped it a few times. Hopper turned to look at the Security Officer, hoping for good news.
Grurg: It’s not Hirogen. The Kitty Hawk is assessing. If there are any threats, we will hear-
Lohani: I am not reassured. Who are these people and why are they here? It can’t be a coincidence. Are we in danger?
Ukinix(H): We don’t know, I know tensions are high after the Hirogen, but if the Kitty Hawk had detected Hirogen we’d be evacuating by now.
Lekasa: Response
Robin felt for the Betazoid Mediator. She was a politician, not a Starfleet officer – and from the reports, she’d already suffered through her fair share of trauma. She felt an urge to walk around the fire to her, tell her everything was going to be alright… but she held back. At the moment, the priority had to be focusing on what was happening above. Instead, she looked to her own tricorder.
Hopper: Looks like the Kitty Hawk is intercepting – some comms chatter between them. At least they don’t appear to be openly hostile.
Lohani: Or they are distracting our defenders while their ground teams approach. ::To Grurg:: How secure is our perimeter, Lieutenant?
Hopper shot a look at Daughter Vananth-Polgonz – who was not helping the situation. Starfleet trained you to remain calm and use your head in these types of situations. The Noble evidently did not have that capability.
Grurg: I have placed proximity sensors around our camp, we will know if anyone approaches from within ten kilometres, including from above us. Plus, the Kitty Hawk is in orbit, with a fleet of auxiliary craft at its disposal.
S’Raga: So someone can come pick us up in a shuttle if transporters are blocked.
With nothing else currently discernible, and not wanting to jump to any conclusions, Robin clipped her tricorder to her belt momentarily and grabbed the blanket she had worn over her shoulders from the back of her chair. She walked around the fire and offered it to Lekasa, hoping she’d take some comfort in feeling less ‘exposed’... Robin recalled her own childhood belief that a simple blanket could fend off any danger.
She hoped Lekasa could read her thoughts… oO Everything’s going to be fine. Oo
Lekasa: Responses
Her tricorder beeped again, and she drew it out. oO Interesting. Oo She gave a quick reassuring smile to Lekasa and Vananth-Polgonz before walking over to Ukinix and S’Raga, tricorder out.
Hopper: Are you seeing what I’m seeing? It looks like the alien biosigns are gone… Like they transported back to their vessel. ::Confused look:: What are they up to?
Lohani: I think we should do the same. I would much prefer to be on the Kitty Hawk right now.
Ukinix(H): ::Tapping combadge:: =/\= Ukinix to Kitty Hawk. =/\=
A response from the ship came almost immediately.
Kurtz: =/\= ::Static:: ::Ksssh:: on orbi- ::Static:: :Kkkkhhhhhh:: =/\=
Ukinix(H): =/\= Say again, Kitty Hawk- =/\=
Kurtz: =/\= :::Kskkrkrkrksshkkrkkshshhhhhhhhhh:: -= =/\=
There was a brief moment of silence. Robin, at least, felt her own well of calm beginning to run dry. Stranded on an alien planet, cut-off from the ship above, with an unknown alien vessel in orbit that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere – it was not a great position to be in. She took a deep breath, which came out slightly ragged as she exhaled, stuttering as she shivered.
Ukinix(H): Ensign S’Raga, check the comms signal boosters.
S'Raga: Yessir!
The Caitian Ensign sprinted towards the edge of the clearing, heading for the nearest comm booster. Hopper swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat. The odds that the disconnect was due to an issue with the boosters was slim.
Ukinix(H): Grurg, tell me anything.
Grurg: ::Looking at tricorder:: I’m detecting satellites of some sort being deployed in orbit of the planet. That could explain the comms interference.
oO Satellites? What is going on up there? Oo Hopper examined her own tricorder results, confirming the Security Officer’s observation.
Ukinix(H): ::Hands on hips:: I’m assuming they’re not ours?
Hopper: No, Sir. The tech is a match for the alien vessel… But they are utilizing some sort of subspace variance that’s releasing tetryon radiation. ::To Grurg:: I’d assume you’re right about that interference.
Ukinix(H): ::Tapping combadge:: =/\= Ukinix to Kitty Hawk, priority lock on to Vananth-Polgonz and Lekasa and transport, now. =/\=
Nothing happened.
Ukinix(H): ::Tapping combadge again:: =/\= Ukinix to Captain Rahman. =/\=
Again, nothing.
Grurg: Commander, there are six satellites, generating a field that appears to be blanketing the entire planet.
Ukinix(H): ::To Hopper:: Lieutenant, see if you can contact the Twentieth House team. S’Raga, adjust the comms boosters if you have to. I’m going to contact the Second House team.
S'Raga: Aye, Commander!
Hopper: You got it.
With that, Robin stepped aside from the group, about five feet from the edge of the encircling accommodation pods. The difference in light and temperature, compared to near the fire, made her shivering worse – she was dressed for a tropical hike, and the present danger had stripped her of what little warmth she’d gathered sitting by the fire.
((OOC – Out of earshot of the others; I’m assuming based on the most recent sims from the Twentieth House team, which ended their Act 1, that communication is already cut off between us…))
She tapped her combadge, hoping that someone, anyone, on the Twentieth House team might hear her.
Hopper: =/\= Commander Carter? =/\=
Silence. If Carter was inaccessible, the next ranking officer was the Kitty Hawk’s Chief Engineer, Zhalea.
Hopper: =/\= Lieutenant Zhalea? This is Lieutenant Hopper with the Sixth House team… =/\=
Silence again.
Hopper: =/\= Lieutenant Reade? =/\=
She took another deep breath, fighting her own dark thoughts about what could have happened to them. Maybe nothing. Maybe they were fine and it was simply a matter of comms interference… But, then again, the aliens had been on the planet.
Hopper: =/\= Ensign Richards? ::A Pause:: Nathan? =/\=
That was that then. She steadied herself, turning back towards the group.
Hopper: ::Under her breath, to herself:: Oh God…
((OOC – Meanwhile, back in the main group))
Lohani: ::To Ukinix:: Commander, what is going on. How is it possible that an alien vessel has just appeared in orbit and cut off our communications? This is totally unacceptable.
Lekasa: Response
Ukinix(H): I’m just as in the dark as everyone else.
Lohani: ::Eyes narrowed:: That is precisely my concern… ::Hands on hips:: Fine, contact your other team. Perhaps they’ll have some answers.
Lekasa: Response
Ukinix(H): ::Tapping combadge:: =/\= Commander Wil Ukinix to… ::slight sigh:: Commander Acradem Ukinix. =/\=
Ukinix(B): =/\= Response =/\=
Ukinix(H): =/\= We’ve lost contact with the Kitty Hawk, and have detected alien satellites in orbit. Do you still have a comms link? =/\=
Ukinix(B): =/\= Response =/\=
Ukinix(H): =/\= Then we’re a bit knackered, aren’t we. =/\=
Ukinix(B): =/\= Response ::garbled:: =/\=
The static slowly increased until “Acradem’s” voice was nothing but the sound of interference. At this point, Robin returned, stepping back into the light and warmth of the fire from the surrounding amber-tinted darkness.
Ukinix(H): =/\= Commander Ukinix. Commander Ukinix, do you read? =/\=
There was nothing but static through his combadge. He turned to look at Robin, his eyes wide. She shook her head. oO No contact… Oo
Ukinix(H): Lieutenant Grurg. In the provisions, there is a cache of phasers, including a few phaser rifles. As a precautionary method, arm *everyone*.
Grurg nodded as S’Raga returned to the group as well. Vananth-Polgonz looked aghast, once again – evidently as displeased about being handed a phaser as she was handling a marshmallow roasting stick.
Ukinix(H): ::To Hopper and S’Raga:: We need those comms back with the other teams.
S'Raga: Aye Commander! ::To Hopper:: Lieutenant, the comms boosters are all working as they should, but I'm wondering if there's a way to increase the power output?
Hopper: ::Shaking her head:: Power’s not the issue, Ensign. The field being emitted by those satellites up above is made up of coherent tetryon radiation… ::A knowing look:: We’ve solved one mystery, but tetryon radiation is notorious for causing a wide array of signal degradation issues, particularly to subspace comms… We’re going to have to figure something else out. ::Looking off into the darkness for a moment:: …Let’s go.
S’Raga grabbed a toolbox from the pile of supplies and started heading back towards the third booster. Robin stepped towards Grurg, accepting a phaser rifle, which she slung over her shoulder, and a handheld one for S’Raga. The weaponry did not settle her nerves – but her training and experience pushed her to press on all the same. She followed S’Raga’s path over towards the booster.
Lohani: ::Accepting a phaser, hesitantly:: I haven’t held a weapon like this since… The Dominion War…
Lekasa: Response
Ukinix looked up at the sky above them.
Ukinix(H): We need to work out what’s going on. That’s our first priority.
Lekasa?/Grurg?: Responses?
((OOC – Out of earshot of the others))
Robin walked up behind S’Raga, noting the sharp and perturbed path that his tail followed as he worked. She stood beside him, pulling out her PADD.
Hopper: Do what you can for the time being, Ensign. I’m… going to have a look at that article you found. With any luck, maybe there will be something in there we can use.
END Act 1 for Hopper
