Ensign Kell Bakk - Revenge of the Clay Pigeons

[Kell Bakk]

[[Holodeck]]

(( Main Bridge, USS Buffett ))

The closer Ensign Kell Bakk looked at the comet with his scanners, the less he liked what we saw. It was just one surprise after another with these comets.

Nis: We’re keeping an eye out for enemy ships, but the region still seems deserted. Ensign Bakk, anything interesting in the most recent probes? 

Bakk: Yes. ::several moments passed:: oO Wait, she wants me to explain. Oo I have determined that the comets are made of seemingly normal minerals, but in truth, they are structured in a way to deflect or mask systems from normal scanning. Something to do with the patterning of the materials. Exceedingly clever. We can learn a lot from this design. I am compensating our scanners to adapt now. ::he narrowed his eyes even more than usual:: For example, my scans just detect long cylindrical barrels, complete with rifling grooves, and what appears to be a shaped projectile within. It appears to possess firing capabilities.

Nis: So you’re saying that comet … has a gun? 

Ensign Bakk nodds.

Rouiancet: (looking around) What?

Ragh: A gun? I'm going to need more to go off of than that, Ensign! What do you mean firing capabilities?

Rouiancet: To what end? The comet doesn't even have comms.

Bakk: ::scratched his head with his leftmost finger, absently:: To be precise, Captain Rouiancet, we have not Yet detected that it has comms, although we did have that blip from earlier. ::a sudden chirp emitted from his console, and Ensign Bakk jumped a bit:: oO Shrill tone. Upsetting! Oo We have found a potential comms system, but it seems rudimentary. ::turned toward Ragh:: Yes Captain, generating an explosive force behind the shaped projective propels it through the barrel, towards an enemy. An especially outdated design relying on physical projectiles. Also... rudimentary.

Engisn Bakk started feeling a little embarrassed that his initial scans missed this important information. He comforted himself with the reason of the mineral design, and tried not to worry about his insufficient duty performance.

Ragh: This doesn't bode well. (To Rouiancet) Put us on yellow alert. My orders remain the same: we're here to talk. Any ideas where these new friends are broadcasting from? Surely not the comet?

Nis: Responses

Rouiancet: Wherever the speaker is, they're not on the comet. The signal's point of origin is far distant, probably even beyond any of the other comets.

Ragh: Interesting, that means there is the possibility of cloaked ships nearby.

Ensign Bakk did not respond. oO We're on the border of Romulan space, it is more of a Probability than Possibility. Oo

Nis: Responses

Rouiancet: Call coming in, Captain. Receive?

Ragh: (Nodding) On the main screen.

oO We have a main screen? I don't see a viewscreen anywhere. Oo

Unknown: =/\= Hello Buffet, as promised.. =/\=

The holographic viewscreen popped up, with the visage of a Romulan.

oO Kolker give me strength, this ship is Perplexing! Oo

Unknown Romulan: =/\= I'd prefer to keep our identities to ourselves, if you don't mind. =/\=

Ragh: =/\= That is acceptable. =/\=

Unknown Romulan: =/\= I see you've discovered the comets. =/\=

Ragh: =/\= We have. Is it safe to assume they are a.. mutual discovery? =/\=

The Romulan man nodded.

Unknown Romulan: =/\= A good assumption. I must apologize, we detected these most interesting comets in a simple survey of our borders, and well, we had to investigate for our safety. You understand, I'm sure.  =/\=

Ragh: =/\= Of course. Would you mind if we have a few moments to discuss this privately? The last thing I'd want would be for either of us to come to the wrong conclusions. =/\=

Unknown Romulan: =/\= If you wish. You know how to reach us, but Captain, don't keep us waiting. =/\=

The screen went nonexistent again.

Ragh: Thoughts?

Bakk: They seem peaceable enough. I suggest we maintain yellow alert solely to avoid complications with comets possessing guns.

Rouiancet/Nis: Responses

Ragh: I think they're telling the truth about the comets. I also don't buy their story about why they were in the area but right now that's besides the point. As long as we have a mutual goal, we all get along.

Bakk: The comet doesn't appear to be Romulan technology, but we can't fully discount their involvement.

Rouiancet/Nis: Responses

Ragh: No, for right now I don't want to do anything to give them reason to doubt us, even though I know for a fact they've scanned us. 

Ragh: We need something we can offer them, some bit of information, anything. Just to show them we mean to cooperate.

Bakk: If they know the source behind the comets, they might not choose to share. But from these scans, the systems we've detected so far are very rudimentary. This could be an incredibly advanced stealth drone operation, hiding in plain sight. Or we might be looking at work of a pre-Warp civilization.

Rouiancet/Nis: Responses

Bakk: I'm going to look up known pre-Warp civilizations near the borders of Romulan/Federation space. We have a Prime Directive; I am uncertain if the Romulans do. Even if this is a false lead, it is worth pursuing.

Ragh/Rouiancet/Nis: Responses

Ensign Bakk suddenly looked distracted. He wasn't staring at his console, he was staring at a comet through the large observation dome. He pointed at a comet outside.

Bakk: Did anyone else see that comet turn unexpectedly? Maybe I imagined it.

Ragh/Rouiancet/Nis: Responses

Bakk: I'm not proposing we arm phasers, but what is your opinion on having some shields raised?

Ragh/Rouiancet/Nis: Responses

Bakk idly wondered if anyone had started referring to the Protostar class ships as Janeway's Folly yet.

Tags, TBC

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Ensign Kell Bakk
Security Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240306KB2