Lt Commander Serala: More Than Mere Speculation
Serala
(( Bridge, Deck 3 - Primary Hull, USS Chin’toka ))
Serala looked over to see the Captain once more stroking his short beard and knew now that he was thinking. When he began looking around, she knew something was going on.
Mei’konda: Chroniton radiaation surge. I’ve never seen that mean anything good. Giive me some details.
Serala quickly brought up her own display and looked. Sure enough. Tapping into the sensors, she attempted to isolate the source.
Serala: It appears to be coming from … the dig site?
She looked up at the Caitian as if to say, it wasn’t really a question but more a matter of confusion. The Captain opened a channel and began to speak.
Mei’konda: =/\= Mei’konda to Rosek. =/\=
Rosek: =/\= Rosek. Go ahead, sir. =/\=
Mei’konda: =/\= I hope you’re on your waay to Engineering by now, Commander. We’re readiing a chroniton radiation buildup near Commander Kiax’s last known locaation. I need you running an analysis and giiving me options, either from Engineering or the Bridge. =/\=
Rosek: =/\= Still with Lephi. But I’ll be leaving in a moment. I’ll get on it as soon as I’m there. =/\=
Mei’konda: =/\= Very well. Let me know what you haave as soon as possible. And… if you’re still near her? Maake sure Sickbay doesn’t let Lephi leave to help you out. I’ve haad enough maverick engineers who didn’t know when to take a breaak, over the years. =/\=
oO Or rogue Mission Specialists Oo
She was, of course, thinking about her friend who had been rather reckless early in his career. However, she’d noticed that he seemed less risk-taking than in the past.
Rosek: =/\= Yes, sir. =/\=
Mei’konda: :: smiling :: =/\= Mei’konda out. =/\=
The Captain turned to face them and placed his hands behind his back, which Serala now knew he had made some decisions and was about to begin giving orders.
Mei’konda: All riight. We need options for getting them out of there. And faast. Ensign Azorius, you’re in chaarge of keeping track of their combadge signals. I want to know if anythiing changes.
Azorius: Gotcha Captain…
Serala quirked an eyebrow up at that. She was pretty big on protocol while on duty, but as long as the Captain didn’t seem to mind, she held her tongue. She actually thought it over. Captain Mei’konda seemed to have a natural charisma and she wondered if his relaxed attitude about such things might not be a contributing factor to that. Given her recent conversation with Lael Rosek, she wondered if she might not really begin studying his mannerisms and see how she could implement them into her own command style.
Azorius: … I’m detecting all com badge signals, all seem active but the signal for Commander Kiax is distorted somehow, it’s getting weaker. I’ll try and focus on it and see what’s up.
Serala: Sir, we still have Ensign Zarax and a security detail on scene. We could send them in.
It might not be fast enough, but it was the only thing she could think of at the moment.
Raga / McKnight: Responses
And then the comm channel chirped again.
Zarax: =/\= Ensign Zarax to Chin’toka. =/\=
Serala: =/\= Go ahead, Ensign =/\=
Zarax: =/\= I just had a report from some of the team’s security. They are safe for the moment. They seem to have made a momentous find of some kind. =/\=
Mei’konda: =/\= Please elaboraate, Ensign. =/\=
Zarax: =/\= Some sort of Chon gateway, if I understood the report correctly, sir. =/\=
Well that explained a lot. Chon technology was, at least in her opinion, dangerous. She still remembered that AI that had tried to kill her team on the station she had explored.
Azorius: Forgive me, I have very little knowledge on the Chon, but if they have found a gateway, the first step could be in finding out if it is active.
Mei’konda: =/\= I see. Hold your posiition for now, Ensign. The next tiime you have contact with Commander Kiax, tell her to return to the surfaace. We’re getting some straange readings from up here, and I want our teams to regroup before any further exploraation. =/\=
Zarax: =/\= Understood, Captain. =/\=
Mei’konda: =/\= Very good. Chin’toka out. =/\=
McKnight / Raga: Responses
Serala: Captain, every time we have come across Chon technology, it has produced some very unfortunate encounters.
Azorius: I would suggest we proceed with absolute caution.
oO Understatement of the year, Ensign. But a good idea, nonetheless. Oo
Mei’konda: Yes. Agreed.
Raga: Response
Serala heard Amuro step away from tactical and turned as he made his way over to her.
McKnight: Commander, I want to show you something.
Serala: Very well, Lieutenant. What do you have?
She made her way around and to tactical as Amuro returned to his station. As she approached the station, she noticed the Captain had followed them.
McKnight: I scanned several of the weapons that were used in the attack as well as several other things.
Serala: Very good initiative. And what did you find?
Raga / Azorius: Responses
McKnight: I've tried to match these weapons to those common to the Valcaria and not only are these weapons not local but they are not made locally.
She looked at the data and it seemed his findings were quite accurate. The replicator markers were clear. And the intel reports were clear: the Valcarians did not have replicator technology. That could only mean these had been generated by some external power.
Mei’konda: Did every weapon used by our attackers show these maarkers, Lieutenant?
Raga / Azorius: Responses
McKnight: I've checked all the weapons. Every single one of them were replicated. There's a very distinct repetition in patterns. This is just speculation but I think someone might be providing weapons to these people for a coup.
More than speculation. If they didn’t have replicator tech, then logically the only way they could have gotten them was from someone outside. Her wheels were turning, and her mind also turned to a recent conversation she’d had with Fleet Admiral Wolf. Could this be related to what he had talked about? As she was thinking, Captain Mei’konda looked over at her.
Mei’konda: Commander Serala, your thoughts?
Serala: Well, sir. I think it’s more than mere speculation. As my husband would have said, logic dictates that if the Valcarians do not have replicator technology - and all sources indicate that they do not - then there is no way they could have gotten these weapons without some outside influence. I do have some thoughts on that, but I think you and I should speak privately about that, first.
Raga / Azorius: Responses
McKnight: Perhaps, I'm just jumping to conclusions, but it doesn't make sense for them to use weapons procured outside their sphere. Also that box was also materials that can't be local...whatever it's purpose was. It's too sophisticated for the Valcarians.
Mei’konda: Assumiing the box was beamed to a saafe location, I would be open to fiinding a way to beam it aboard, insiide a containment field, so that sciences can analyze it. Perhaps it has somethiing to do with the discoveries that Commander Kiax’s team has made.
McKnight / Raga / Azorius: Responses
Serala: Hmm. It is possible, but I think there’s something else at play. Something much bigger.
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