Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Which Way Did They Go?
Addison MacKenzie
(( Bridge - Deck 01 - USS Artemis-A ))
The commanding officer sat in the center chair on the bridge of the Artemis flanked by Munro and Jetripar, with Storm and Jovenan occupying their stations. They'd received a lead - albeit a small one - that the Afalqi might have made a stop for supplies at a small Da'al colony on the outskirts of their territory. While they were on their way to investigate, MacKenzie wanted to make sure it didn't turn into an extended detour if it didn't absolutely have to.
MacKenzie: Making a pit stop is certainly something I'd like to avoid unless it's absolutely necessary. Staying on the trail while it's hot is the only lead we've got at this point, unless one of our other teams are able to come up with some more information.
Jovenan: If we don’t find the trail within the system, we might need to comb for it outside. It becomes harder to spot with time.
Storm: Especially depending on how many ships are coming and going from the planet. Unless their ship is giving off any unusual readings, it could be particularly hard to pick out from among a lot of other warp wakes.
Munro: We know that they may be using an adapted Da’al fusion generator with a star drive. That’s going to give off a sizable quantum energy trail. The only issue is, it tends to degrade quickly. If we can pick up that trail, we just follow the breadcrumbs.
Jetripar: I agree that the first priority is trailing my ship. Please, please. Proceed.
Storm: I’m running a resonance scan for warp signature variations. If we can find anything out of the ordinary, it might give us an advantage as we go fishing.
Munro: Secretary Jetripar, you mentioned several locations that Havun had been in communication with. Is there any that stand out to you?
Before answering the question, Jetripar stood and walked to the back of the bridge as though he'd had a sudden thought occur to him. MacKenzie followed him with her gaze for a moment, before looking at Munro briefly with an arched eyebrow.
Jetripar: Would someone be able to pull up a map of the sector, with special focus on the most likely direction that the asset is moving?
Jovenan: I have it right here.
Now it was MacKenzie's turn to stand, this time making her way over to Jetripar as their lead science officer brought up the data. The chart was filled with systems, planets, stars, celestial objects, moons... the level of detail was limitless with access to the appropriate equipment to catalog it all. Next to her, Munro pushed a few commands on the MSD to bring up the same map for the secretary. The layout display of the Artemis disappeared and was replaced with the same map of the sector.
Storm: What are you looking for specifically, Secretary?
Munro: It would help us to narrow it down.
MacKenzie: Something catch your eye?
He pointed at two systems.
Jetripar: Yes, ::pointing:: there and there. The Barol system, and ngeb Base, a Klingon station. Both of those have shown up on trade communications logs many times. Could he be heading to either of those?
MacKenzie watched on with an inquisitive look as Jovenan instinctively brought up the files for each of those locations. For whatever reason, the Secretary seemed far more forthcoming with information than he had when they were on the surface.
Jovenan: Barol system has an unaffiliated colony world, no significant plurality in any one species. Some mining and other industry presence on other planets. It grew in prominence after the Khitomer Accords and the expulsion of the Orion Syndicate pacified the area. The ngeb Base is officially categorised as a trading post.
Storm: Either of those would be good places to hide people, but we’re talking about a ship. Even cloaked, ships are harder to hide - especially if anyone is going down to a planet or a trading post. Its complement could be tracked. Speaking of which, do we have a list of people believed to be aboard the Afalqi?
Munro: We have that on file index #78.
MacKenzie waited for an assessment which, after a brief moment of studying the data, seemed to lean toward the Barolinans.
Munro: Interesting. The Barolians were considered subjects of the Romulan Star Empire up until the supernova. That infrastructure was central to the Romulans' technological base but after the fall of the empire, that relationship ended :: beat :: Sounds like a good place to get your hands on some Romulan tech?
MacKenzie: Certainly substantiating evidence, no doubt.
Jetripar: Response
Jovenan: There are only a few other inhabitable worlds in the neighbouring sectors. Further out, we have factions such as the Nascaik and the Thama, and the Celendi Nebula. Plenty of opportunities to hide if they head straight to one.
MacKenzie's brow furrowed slightly. She'd been responsible for brokering a non-aggression pact between the Nasciak and Thama in 2398, but hadn't given either of the two species much thought in recent years - hopefully a sign that the pact was still in adherence and that Federation intervention was unnecessary. If the Afalqi was headed their way, it could put the pact at risk, something the commanding officer knew should be avoided.
Storm: Can we eliminate any of those planets because of location or other factors?
Munro: Without knowing the full capability of the Afalqi or who is helping them, it’s hard to say.
MacKenzie: We should try to resist speculation until we have more concrete evidence that those possibilities are in play...
Jetripar: Response
Jovenan: I have the Outer Seedea’s system on sensors. No vessels currently detected in there.
Storm: That doesn’t mean much.
Storm glanced at Jetripar.
Storm: I mean, in the case that they do have a cloaking device.
Munro crossed her arms, studying the map.
Munro: We can probably assume that they know by now that Starfleet is involved? Our presence did not go unnoticed on Meranuge IV. That rules out any location that has positive ties to the Federation. It makes sense that they would avoid those sectors or they risk being detected?
Jetripar: Response
Storm: Let’s see if we can detect any warp wakes yet.
Storm's fingered glided over the console with a familiarity that only came with a certain level of expertise. MacKenzie already knew that the tactical officer was filtering out background noise and other artificial readings that weren't relevant.
Munro: If you can do that, lieutenant, I’ll give you my holodeck privileges for a month.
MacKenzie smiled slightly. That was a mighty big offer, but her money was on Storm.
Jetripar/Jovenan: Response
Storm: I’m picking up three warp wakes…Permission to put them on the viewscreen?
MacKenzie: Go ahead.
Jetripar/Jovenan: Response
Storm transferred her readings to the viewscreen. Now, projected on the large screen was the Seedea system, now overlayed with three distinct warp wakes, each veering in a different course.
Storm: If I zoom out and put the other locations given to us by Secretary Jetripar, we have something interesting.
One of the wakes headed in the direction of the Barol system, another in the general vicinity of ngeb Base, and a third went off in a completely different direction.
Munro: :: incredulous laugh :: They left false trails for us.
MacKenzie: Slippery things, I'll give them that...
Jetripar/Jovenan/Storm: Response
Munro: That third trail? Where does it go? Can we extrapolate with known data a likely destination?
As the map swirled around and zoomed to focus solely on that trail, as the screen moved along the potential trajectory a growing sense of trepidation grew across the bridge crew. MacKenzie let out an audible groan when she saw where it was headed.
Jetripar/Jovenan/Storm: Response
Munro: That’s Nascaik territory :: beat :: If they reach that border, we won’t be able to follow them.
MacKenzie: ::shaking her head, trying to make sense of it:: Why, though? So they think they'll be free or we'll stop pursuing them?
Jetripar/Jovenan/Storm/Munro: Response
She raised a finger.
MacKenzie: Not so fast. I did help mediate their non-aggression pact with the Thama after all. The Nasciak are a difficult people, but I think they owe me one.
Jetripar/Jovenan/Storm/Munro: Response
MacKenzie: So, I suppose the question is: do we follow the obvious paths, or the outlier? Which way do we think they went?
Jetripar/Jovenan/Storm/Munro: Response
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A