Ensign Herrick: Mission Jitters
markanthonyparker
(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS 'Oumuamua ))
As the doctor approached Josh to complete his scans; the engineer stopped tapping away at his console and looked the teal-outfitted individual up and down. While he had recently spent several days in Sickbay, he couldn’t recall seeing this individual during his recovery. He had started to get up to introduce himself, but another wave hit, and he sunk back into the comfortable chair and looked over the panel.
Herrick: oO I don’t think standing would have made a difference anyway. Oo
By the time it registered to him that he should have said something, the doctor continued scanning the remainder the next time. Herrick realized that this was the first time that he hadn’t been obsessing over what to say, how to say it, and overanalyzing potential responses. It was like a weight had been lifted off him.
Katsim: Commodore, it seems to be coming in steady intervals.
V'Airu: Can you tell what the interval is?
Katsim: Yes. Every 2.411358811 minutes.
The engineer keyed ‘~2.41’ into the diagnostic logs; he had been surprised at his own cavalier approach to the specificity, so he went back and rekeyed in the exact time interval. He gave himself a mental slap in the head and reminded himself they were dealing with a potentially life or death situation. The panel replied with a confirmatory tone that it had found something related to the time interval Peri had brought up.
Herrick:
I have
found something of interest… it seems like the duranium plating is getting hit
with x-rays at the interval mentioned. This is typical as the hull protects us from
the outer elements, but it’s occurring at the interval that the Lieutenant
mentioned which makes it a bit stranger.
He leaned back into the chair, now feeling confident after finding this clue.
Solari: We all show signs of elevated neural activity in the amygdala. I would like to see everyone come to sickbay for scans when able, Commodore.
V'Airu: (with a nod) As would I, especially if things get worse. But for now... Solari, will you stay? We may need your expertise.
Herrick thought about how slightly off things felt with the start of this mission. The nebula that wasn’t an exact type of match in databases, the pulses, the x-rays and now the brain activity.
Another flash.
Each of these clues on their own were slightly concerning, but
each of them combined with the addition to the emotional state of the bridge
crew was starting to register mental alarm bells. He wondered if they would be
able to keep a handle on everything for much longer.
Katsim:
Interference prevents us from gleaning too much currently. I’m going
to try some modifications.
Herrick: (more concerned) Are we going to be affected even worse by these emotions?
He looked at the doctor; Josh had no poker face, and it was showing the growing concern that had been present in his voice.
Solari:
Response
V'Airu:
Then I believe our first objective should be a way to block the cause.
V'Airu: If it continues to occur at the same interval, we'll have many chances to make the attempt. I've already ruled out a direct visual cause. Other theories?
He wasn’t sold on his own theory, but still offered it for consideration. He didn’t find that things happened by coincidence often, so perhaps there was a relatively link between the radiation and the emotions.
Herrick: Perhaps it has something to do with the x-rays?
Solari:
Response
V'Airu:
Can we confirm that the shuttle teams are still following their flightplans?
Katsim:
They are, but Etan’s team…their signal is cutting in and out.
Solari/V’Airu: Responses
Katsim: Ensign Herrick, would you be able to filter out some of this interference?
Herrick: I’ll try, let me…
His voice trailed off as another wave hit, this one feeling more potent then the last, as his emotional control slipped further from his fingers. The concern now turning into a pit in his stomach; perhaps death was waiting for them all here. His first mission was turning into his last.
He looked around, trying to take in everything in what he felt was like his few final moments as time slowed down. And then, things came back into focus. The feeling was still there, but only at a tenth of what it was a moment ago.
His breath shuddered inward as he regained some composure and saw the dragonette coming back to rest on the perch of the science officer’s shoulder.
Katsim: It’s a heartbeat.
Solari/V’Airu: Responses
Herrick paused for a moment; mentally processing how that might change how he was approaching the problem. He was more focused and alert now that the adrenaline pumped through his system at the prospect of meeting his end.
Herrick: Typically, the hull sensors are focused on known phenomena that pose a risk to the ship’s structural integrity so perhaps we should recalibrate them to see what unknown elements may be present.
Solari/V’Airu/Katsim: Responses
He paused for a moment. His focus had been more about the ships’ interior and their own safety.
Herrick: I’d also recommend that we launch a class IV probe, specific to stellar encounters. It should be less affected by the negative impact of this nebula, and we could use it to link ourselves and the commander’s shuttle.
On his final training simulation, he reflected on the less than stellar recommendations he made on the bridge. He was hoping that this time, he offered something worth for them to pull on before it was too late.
Solari/V’Airu/Katsim: Responses
Tags! and TBC!
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Ensign Josh Herrick
Engineering Officer
USS ‘Oumuamua
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)