Lt. Cmdr. Alieth - Call me Ishmael
Alieth
OOC: Hi guys! Sorry for the delay, but these last days have been physically taxing for me, we'll pick up the pace from now on!
((Cockpit, USS Rhine, Outside the J-0922A System))
The tiny runabout
hovered alone, in enemy territory, moving slowly through the wreckage
of the battle, just another piece of scrap among the metallic and
crystalline pieces of what had been the Alliance frigate. The enemy
was still actively scanning the area, so that any precautions they
took were scarce, and any mistake could end fatally. The enemy was
still actively scanning the area, so that any precautions they took
were scarce, and any mistake could end fatally.
In spite
of these dire circumstances, or perhaps because of them, the meagre
team inside the small vessel had demonstrated the intelligence and
know-how of Starfleet officers, and found a way to get under the
enemy's radars and, with luck, through the high-energy cloaked border
that protected the smaller structure they had discovered. The method?
By using the communications frequencies they had detected coming from
the Lattice Alliance ships to mask the Rhine's signature, either by
duplicating its signal to confuse the enemy, or by disguising it as a
debris hunk to appear innocuous for as long as possible. Alieth was
inclined to use the latter option for as long as possible, and resort
to the former if they were discovered, in order to ensure an
impossible escape, and so she let it be known.
Alieth: We will use that second option, take off carefully, approach vector using the wreckage while we have the chance.
The only downside of the whole plan was that, at the time being, they had thirteen frequencies to choose from to set up their camouflage... and only one would work.
Raedai: Up to these coordinates… :: pointed on a screen visible to all:: We will look like part of what would be the remains of what we might call the starboard nacelle. :: The Tholians had a rather strange way of making nacelles.:: If we only use the maneuvering thrusters, we should not be detected.
Beside the Romulan, the Caitian raised her head resolutely, her ears pointed forward in attention.
Lorana: I can do that.
As self-assured as he usually was, the muscular Romulan seemed a little hesitant, even cautious. This prompted Alieth's eyebrows to furrow a little. At the moment, she would prefer his confident duplicity, regardless of how much it annoyed her.
Raedai: it is a possibility, we would extend the radiation that hides us in the direction we want.
Without further ado, the man turned back to his consoles, sleek hands roaming over the display, monitoring the probes that they still had out there, assisting their cause. There was a mesmerizing elegance in those movements, and the commander only gave up her reverie when the young Trill forced her to do so.
Syrex: Lieutenant, if you’re wrong about the radiation, it could pose a serious risk to the health of this crew, there’s little we can do to combat its effects outside inoculation and steering clear of it.
There was concern in the young doctor's blue eyes, and that kind of long-term perspective that spoke of a good medical officer or a professional overthinker.
Lorana: If we monitor the radiation levels, we can avoid the more potent eddies … or as a last resort full impulse out and go to warp. And hope LA doesn't shoot us out of space.
The petite Vulcan glanced at her screen for a moment before she spoke.
Alieth: Save the WARP for the escape from the system, if we need it. For the moment :: turning to Luxa:: avoid the eddies as much as possible or use them to propel us when the direction is right... :: turning to Syrex:: Ensign, map out the radiation pockets in the vicinity of our route, lest an unforeseen shift throw us right into one.
The entire team kept working for a few moments, as the Rhine navigated through the metallic wreckage following the rhythm of the dancing remnants of the battle. It was a sluggish and arduous path, and progress seemed almost nil. So much so, that the celebrated Vulcan's patience seemed to be lacking today in Alieth.
Alieth: Can we risk a little more momentum?
To her chagrin it was Raedai instead of Lorana who answered first.
Raedai: A small, very small impulse could be useful and should not be detected.
Syrex: It may only appear as a blip on their sensors, but depending on the Lattice Alliance's stubbornness, they may still be keeping a very watchful eye on this region, are we able to risk that kind of manoeuvre?
Lorana: It’s a risk we’re going to have to take. Scans do indicate that they’ve come out of alert mode. Yet they’re likely monitoring the area :: to Raedai:: Is there anyway we can find out the sections they are actively scanning? If we can do that I’d be able to avoid it. Like hiding in the shadows.
Raedai: Response
It was a good plan, even if it depended too much on the Romulan's expertise for her liking.
Alieth: Make it so. It will take a little longer but it will be safer. ::Turning slightly:: Ensign Syrex, back them up.
Syrex: Aye, I’ll keep watch on the sensors, I should have enough inoculations for a day comfortably, three if I have some time alone with the replicator.
The Rhine shook slightly as the runabout made her way through the debris field, and entered a denser section of space. Pieces of Tholian hull striking against the shield, and ricocheted across the field around the Rhine.
Lorana: :: smiles apologetically :: Sorry, I’ll try to avoid the larger pieces.
Syrex: ::Tongue in cheek:: If you are able, I didn’t bring along what the humans used to call “Barf Bags”
Alieth: Make an effort to fly carefully, Miss Lorana, I do not want that our ensign spoils our new carpet.
Raedai: Response
Lorana: Testing the revised modulation frequencies against the harmonic resonance of the cloaking barrier.
In the main sceen, the map altered, and she seen that the modulations had taken effect, after a few alterations the parameters narrowed to 4 selections.
Syrex: Modulation frequencies successfully implemented; the Rhine is responding appropriately.
The petite Vulcan nodded sternly.
Alieth: Easy Ensign, we still have to go through the cloaked barrier.
Raedai: Response
The two officers in the front seats were hard at work, deft hands moving swiftly across their panels as one of the critical moments of their mission approached.
Lorana: Lieutenant? Can you check these frequencies? :: with a flick she moved the details to his console then turned to Syrex :: Exciting first away mission, Ensign?
Syrex: It’s certainly an interesting assignment ::Tapping at the console, then turning to Face Lorana:: I’m guessing its not routine for a freshly produced ensign to come on a mission of this… magnitude?
It was the commander who replied instead.
Alieth: In this crew we try to keep things ‘interesting’ for our rookies. :: A pause, with a significant tilt of the head:: Especially if they volunteer.
Raedai: Response
The conversation did not progress much further, as at that moment, a lot of flashing alarms popped up on all the consoles, the cockpit light turned crimson while the warning noises thundered out from all the stations.
Lorana: They’re scanning this section.
The runabout interior fell quiet as everyone remained silent, breath bated, muscles tense and frozen as the scanning scope was displayed on the main screen. As the scan shifted to another sector and the lights became amber one more time, there were at least a couple of deep sighs echoing in the cockpit.
Lorana: Looks like they worked. Crossing the cloaking barrier in under two minutes.
Alieth: Keep course and speed :: Towards the Romulan :: Can you use one of the probes to track the area they are scanning? A warning when it gets close next time would help.
Raedai: Response
Syrex: I hope that the scan saw us as debris, rather than ignoring us to pounce later…
There was a pause in her discourse, in which the rookie seemingly had an internal argument with herself before she kept speaking.
Syrex: …but I don’t think that’s in the lattice alliances' nature to wait before attacking.
Alieth: We will take your concerns into account ensign, but as far as we know modulation works. :: There was trust in the know-how of her officers in that sentence :: We have successfully completed our first task.
She didn't elaborate on the Alliance's tactics, because her experience with them so far had been inconsistent. It seemed that each of the groups or cells in the Alliance operated in its own unique way: they had seen some that were certainly aggressive, not waiting to attack, as had been the case in that system. Others had resorted to dialogue, kidnapping, threats and subterfuge, as had happened in Olindra. However it happened, the Vulcan could not, and would not, rule anything out, for there was still a pattern that applied to the full group.
Lorana/Raedai: Response
The young Trill looked at her console once more, and she seemed to see something that disturbed her.
Syrex: Commander, are you seeing debris coming towards us?
The Vulcan checked her monitors and observed the cluster. It was certainly moving in a direction that would collide with the route they had taken, but it could either be a coincidence or something more sinister.
Alieth: I see it Ensign, let us not worry about it for the time being but keep an eye on it.
Syrex: I hope it’s a coincidence, that I’m being too cautious or jumpy. Otherwise, they may be drawn towards something on the Rhine. That could alert someone if we are scanned again or when we cross the cloaking barrier.
Alieth: It is only to be expected that you will be apprehensive on your first away mission, Ensign, but remember your training and trust in your team.
The ulcan's voice, without tone or inflection, as it should have been, was nevertheless able to convey a reassuring quality.One that was underlined by the warm look she directed at the young doctor.
Lorana/Raedai: Response
Despite this, Alieth synchronized her console with the Ronin's probes and passive scanners. What she found elicited a very Vulcan raise of an eyebrow.
Alieth: It seems that it is not the only thing moving in our direction, there are another ten moving forms moving among the asteroids. :: She thought for a second. :: Take a chance with a more active scan.
Lorana/Raedai/Syrex: Response
The short time it took for the scan to complete again became a tense moment for the entire small crew, but by the time the spectrographic analysis was complete, the Vulcan's face had relaxed, discovering some old friends she hadn't encountered since one of her first shoreleaves on the USS Thor.
Alieth: It is a gormagander pod. This can help us.
Lorana/Raedai/Syrex: Response
Space whales appeared at that moment behind the asteroids, the huge mouths open as they consumed alpha particles carried by the solar winds of the system. On the screens, the scanner of the structure they were heading for landed on the first three members of the pod, but soon moved away, surely deeming them harmless. One corner of Alieth's mouth tugged slightly in a non-smile.
Alieth: Miss Lorana, follow them and squeeze between them, we will be disguised enough to get within a few hundred metres of that structure, even more if we cloack our armonics once more. We will have a good view of whatever that is.
Lorana/Raedai/Syrex: Response
[[Tags/TBC]]
Lieutenant Commander Alieth
Chief Science Officer & 2O
E239702A10
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