Lt JG Josh Herrick: Knock Knock
Mark P
((Landing Site, Alpha Brenkelvi II))
As the team started to begin their analysis of the planet, they began to collect more questions than answers. This, Herrick realized, seemed par for the course on Starfleet away missions. Being on a mission where you wrapped everything up in 10 minutes wasn’t necessarily fun, but neither was getting chased by winged beasts. He hoped this more exploratory flavour would give him a nice sense of calm after the last several weeks.
Josh continued to hold both tricorders up; each one had been finely tuned for their specializations but should have been consistent when it came to electron cans. Arlill also had found the same discrepancy. His science tricorder registered fluctuations where his engineering one did not. This piqued the commander’s interest.
Etan: Opinions, please.
Arlill: The MOO2 device is registering something already, which shouldn’t be possible. I also registered an increase in electron activity as Maxwell saw the spike on the medical.
Herrick: Well... on one hand, it’s not showing up on the engineering tricorders which may suggest an intentional act; but on the other hand, the medical and science tricorders may be more fine tuned to a planetary or biological response.
It might not have been helpful; but it was the best analysis he could offer at the moment given the information presented. The breezes were brief but often, and seemed to carry a cool air, making the team feel chilly.
Maxwell: And again. ::Gripping his carbine a little tighter, Max turned his gaze outwards from the group as he slowly tracked in a circle around his companions.::
Josh appreciated the fact that the team brought a marine along; the engineer was lucky to be alive after the last mission, saved only by Corelli’s ingenuity. Herrick wasn’t a great shot, proven by his academy record, but with Maxwell around he felt safer, even if there wasn’t a clear imminent danger.
Etan: They seem to occur at regular intervals, just after these gusts of winds.
Arlill: Is it possible the atmospheric systems are symbiotic of the energies of the planet? Are we detecting some kind of planetary pulse?
Maxwell: Honestly, sir? Am no liking this.
Etan: Could the energy field be reflecting our biosigns?
Arlill: I’m not immediately seeing a correlation but still comparing the lifesign readings and that of the energy field pulses.
Josh: Perhaps like how the nebula had been reflecting our emotions back at us; at least, that was the Commodore’s hypothesis before it vanished away. Either our own bio signs or, ::gesturing to all the equipment:: all of this. Certain biologics have been known to be affected by EM and other technological radiation sources, even if they are safe for your typical humanoid.
Maxwell: Response.
Herrick: Do we push forward?
Etan: Our primary mission is still one of exploration. I understand that things may look strange, but let us keep our heads about us. :: he paused, before looking at the trio in turn. :: The temperature is dropping. Let’s break out the cold-weather jackets.
Arlill: Agreed sir.
The team walked back a few steps to the shuttle and donned the thick jackets; they were functional, with a significant number of pockets, and rather fashionable. He slotted everything from his kits into it jacket and his shoulders thanked him for it; the straps had been digging into them with the weight.
Maxwell: Response.
A few minutes later they had all donned the warmer gear.
Etan: I may never take this off. :: he chortled. ::
Arlill: They are pretty comfortable.
Herrick: Definitely makes things way more tolerable. ::looking around at the group:: We look like a pack of skiers ::grinning::
Maxwell: Response.
The commander’s curiosity was evident as he examined their surroundings again, looking at the remnants of a civilization that seemed lost to time.
Etan: Let’s consider this for a moment. :: he said, stomping through the undergrowth towards the structure, such as it was. :: What was this once upon a time? A home? A warehouse? A sentry post? :: Upon reaching the remains, he crouched down and stroked the stone with his open palm. It was chilly to the touch. Then he pulled his tricorder from his pocket and waved the device over it. :: I’m detecting traces of oxygen, silicone, quartz, and several types of biotites. :: beat :: And the structure itself appears to be at least 65,000 years old.
Arlill: Quartz can be decorative but also be used for its resonance properties, I wonder if they used this to help control the energy shifts?
He was actively scanning the building materials with his science tricorder.
Maxwell: Response.
Etan: You’re right. It’s the archaeologist in me. :: he offered the team an apologetic smile, and turned his mind back to more pressing matters. :: If the energy field and the weather are somehow linked then it stands to reason that since these breezes are coming down from the mountains, that any potential source generating the phenomena is somewhere in that direction. :: beat :: Mr. Arlill, can you establish a remote linked with the MOO-- ::he stopped, unable to say the word. :: with the device? :: beat :: Mr. Maxwell, how is the search grid coming along? :: beat :: Lieutenant Herrick, keep monitoring the situation. If there is any change to the type of or frequency of the readings, then appraise us.
Toxin pulled out his engineering tricorder and confirmed it still had a link to the MOO2 device.
Arlill: Remote link is still active, the device reports at 40% data collection. I’ll see if I can’t accelerate its scans.
Another breeze, and another chime from the tricorder indicating that the same pattern had been detected. They’d now been on the planet just shy of thirty minutes since setting down, adding some confidence to the repeating data set.
Herrick: It looks like these fluctuations, and the wind, occur every 42-43 seconds; there is some microscopic variation but overall, it’s consistent.
Maxwell/Etan: Response.
As they continued to approach the structure the wind seemed to pick up more, as if their mere presence was having an effect on the inanimate materials. He continued to review the data coming from the MOO2, they were now at 70% completion of base data collection and some results were beginning to form. The device identified that the energy source was between their 8 & 10 o’clock direction.
Arlill: Sir, the energy appears to be coming from that direction. But I can only say with some certainty as we still have about 10 minutes before we have a complete profile baseline.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
Toxin pulled up the devices power flow display and could see it operating at more than 128% efficiency, any higher and they might fry the entire unit and he wasn’t sure what that would do to the power connection with the shuttle.
Arlill: =/\= Arlill to Oumuamua, can you direct a structural integrity field at the device mounted on the Nichols? =/\=
Oumuamua: =/\= Response =/\=
Arlill: =/\= Thank you, Arlill out =/\=
Arlill: We have 2 minutes until the baseline is complete and we can pinpoint the direction of this energy field.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
The group moved into the area behind the structure’s wall and continued analyzing their readings. A moment later a micro klaxon began on the engineering device indicating a problem.
Arlill: Sir, I think we have a problem.
Etan: Response
Arlill: The scan is stuck at 92% and showing the general direction of the anomalous readings but I’m getting irregular readings from the device’s power system.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
Arlill: I’m not sure, it was operating fine until we were almost homed in on the source and suddenly it’s not responding to the command to power down.
The Chief of Ops looked concerned as he got updates from the tricorder and tapped through different functions. Josh took his tricorder of the signal lock and switched it to active scan.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
Herrick: Arlill, it looks like the Moo2 is having some difficulty with the increased scanning intensity you set it on; it’s barely holding together with the structural integrity field that’s coming down from the ship.
The acting chief engineer took another look at the beam readout, the distance from ship to shuttle had made it difficult to get accurate readings but it seemed like there was significant energy drop off after the support beam crossed into the atmosphere; but it wasn’t clear on where the energy was being diverted.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
They were beyond scans now as the issue became visibly evident to all team members, the Moo2 started glowing bright; overheating and likely on the verge of exploding.
Nilsen: =/\= Bridge to away team one, we detected a massive power buildup. Ya need assistance? What was that? =/\=
Etan/Maxwell: =/\= Response =/\=
Herrick: I’m hoping you read the full manual on this thing Toxin... how do we stop it? oO Before we run out of shuttles. Oo
Etan/Maxwell: Response
Rather than responding, Arlill’s fingers tapped furiously on the tricorder. Josh assumed he was engaging some sort of fail safe. A few moments later, the bright light faded rather anticlimactically.
Arlill: Well, I suppose that could have been worse.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
Arlill: I’m not sure sir, it shouldn’t have happened, but it should be fairly easy to bring everything back online when it’s time.
Etan/Maxwell: Response
Arlill had pointed in the direction that the Moo2 had detected the energy readings, and as the gods would have it, it was in the same direction that they were heading. The team continued trekking alongside the wall until they finally happened upon what looked like a side entrance.
Herrick: Do we go in? And how?
The door had looked like it was hastily boarded up; more sloppily constructed than the rest of the structure. Were they trying to keep something in or just close off this entrance? More mysteries.
Etan/Maxwell/Toxin: Response
As the marine pulled at one of the planks, it disintegrated in his hands. Evidently time had not been lost to the wood, and after a few more moments, it was all cleared away and all that remained were large cathedral like doors with ornate carvings that were multiple series of circles and dots; they didn’t seem decorative.
Herrick: A warning message? ::pointing to the strange writing::
Etan/Maxwell/Toxin: Response
He couldn’t disagree with that assessment; being cautious kept you alive but being curious made you a Starfleet officer. They shouldn’t be assuming the worse at each turn, and there was almost excitement in the Commander’s eyes as Maxwell gave the door a shove and it gave way, opening with a large groan.
Etan/Maxwell/Toxin: Response
TBC / Tags!
---
Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick
Acting Chief Engineer
USS ‘Oumuamua
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)