Ensign Uchal th'Vrosa - Big Weapons & Bigger Feelings
Fviaek
((Bridge, Deck 1, USS Khitomer))
Morda: I defer to Counselor th’Vrosa on the psychological front, or you and Lieutenant Zerva based on our past field experience. But it occurs to me that another reaction to their big weapons not having the desired effect is frustration and even more shooting.
The Thaan briefly thought about it, letting the idea float in a soft philosophical soup. Shooting does often beget more shooting in that endlessly cyclical way violence tends to go. He agreed with the Ensign at the very least. Our unhappy friends outside the cloud were disinclined to simply take their toys and go home.
th’Vrosa: ::Starts, with a short nod:: Our unhappy friends outside the cloud are disinclined to simply take their big guns and go home.
Morda: But as for any reason we hafta fight them? No, we don’t seem to be there yet. I do wonder whether there’d be a way to make them think they’re efforts are having a desired effect when they’re not. But despite Lieutenant Michaels’ threats, I’m no engineer and have no idea how we’d even manifest something like that. ::Taking a proffered mug:: Thanks. ::Sipping:: Kriffing-- yep, that’s hot.
There was an unheard chuckle and an unseen smile. He too had fallen victim in the past to such hot beverages. Many a late night study session at the academy had been interspersed with friendly beings offering what was meant to be a supportive drink that instead had been a scalding one. Never a burn so bad as to prompt a cold shoulder, but oftentimes it was the heat more than the caffeine waking up what was a sleepy student.
Semara: :: A look of surprise. :: Oh! Sorry! It's hot.
His eyes gazed upon the slight twitching of the Stoic Man, the faint salty smell of sweat swiftly subsumed by whatever was within the cup, that frankly smelled delightful.
Semara: The tractor beam! :: A long beam. :: We set the tractor beam to the lowest tractor factor, longest range, and widest angle a' projection. We oughta be able to move enough a' the nebula around to make the nebula retreat - albeit sloppily...
Zerva: Response
The Lady of Betazed smirked, then continued:
Semara: Well, Ensign Morda, seein' as you're so sick a' Engineerin', kindly take tactical, and start workin' out a way to make it happen, please. Zerva, I know you've been studyin' those science book I gave ya, so take Science station One. Patch the scanners into tactical, then keep an eye out. I wanna first sign we're hurtin' the nebula or if there's other trouble. Sooner we get movin', the more a' the nebula we save.
Morda: Aye, Lieutenant.
Zerva: Response
Semara: Right. It ain't nothin' but buyin' time, but it's a start. :: Beat :: Counselor th'Vrosa, we all need a more permanent solution. I'd like one that says "get off my lawn" stronger than the ships they already lost... :: A thoughtful beat. :: What are the odds the Alliance ain't got a clue there's someone in this nebula, and they just think it's the phenomena that destroyed their ships?
th’Vrosa: I don’t have enough information at this junction to say. If I was in their shoes, however, I’d assume this was a destructive cloud with nary a soul inside. ::He gestures to the collective:: Our present company being a strange enough surprise to prompt a scurry. Perhaps even a scamper.
Morda: ::muttering, shaking his head:: Kriff. ::Louder:: Lieutenant? Good news, iffy news. Here’s the good news: I’m fairly certain a wide channel tractor can pull in large tranches. Power won’t be great, but the nebula is low-mass and not otherwise accelerating so it should be fine. Low power will also help conceal any indication of an artificial graviton source being used.
th’Vrosa: It’s hard to say if artificial graviton source indications would help or hurt us, really.
Morda: Right, so, the puzzles. First: I don’t know how sencha weapons, or anything that messes around in a subspace domain or something more exotic, will affect the tractor beam’s efficacy. But also: I’m worried the nebula itself will diminish our ability to read their target sensor focus. And without that, we might not be able to aim our own tractor beam to that right area. Projectile weapons can give us a vector if we can’t read their sensor focus, but we don’t know what kind of timer or proximity apparatus they have to blow. I doubt they’d use direct-energy weapons because they’re not area-of-effect systems -- I hope they agree, because ascertaining their targets would be even more vexing.
Semara / Zerva: Response
Morda: If we could intercept or read their targeting sensor focus, that might help. But I doubt we have any kind of way of probing that. ::Looking at the clump of slumbering spaghetti intruder:: That kind of infiltration would be a great objective to develop and harness that kind of nanofilament tech ourselves.
th’Vrosa: There remains the alternative solution, directing their weapons fire towards the spots we’d want.
The Thaan contemplates for a moment, reading some data on his handheld device, before turning his attention towards Ensign Morda.
th’Vrosa: Assuming, ::There was a rather long pause as he trailed off into his own head before continuing:: Creatively, if we send out various probes we can give something else for our friends on the outside to focus and worry about. Would that be viable?
Morda / Semara / Zerva: Response
th’Vrosa: Alternatively, we can always rig some shuttlecraft to broadcast some distress signals. Let fear do the convincing for us. Rig them up for some remote piloting so we don’t lose them to the abyss.
Morda / Zerva: Response
His eyes fall upon the Lieutenant, in deference, before prompting.
th’Vrosa: What’s the play?
Semara:
——— ● ——— Ensign Uchal th'Vrosa
Counselor
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
K240305UV4