Lieutenant Jack Kessler - There be Tholians Here
Joel Cannistraro
((Flight Deck, Runabout Sojourn, USS Ronin, Ross-580 Gas Giant A, Moon Sigma))
As the scans started, Jack stood and moved back to the rear of the Sojourn so he could suit up with the others.
Evinrude: ::Mostly to himself.:: Thick shielding, on these.
Nemes: I feel like I'm... functionally packaged right now.
Tucker: Keep in mind, there is no HUD on these suits, but it’s on my to-do list. So make sure you keep an eye on your tricorder instead. It’s a pain, but what can you do. ::Marty shrugged::
Kessler: ::securing his wrist tricorder:: Not as heavy on the arm as I was expecting.
Jack moved to a wall locker, opened in and retrieved a tactical belt for each of them. Passing them out he then pulled a Type-II phaser from the security locker and checked the power cell before holstering it on his hip. One by one he pulled three more phasers, checked the power cells and then passed them out to the others. Last he pulled a med-kit from the locker and secured it to his back.
Evinrude: Definitely more bulky to move around in, though I agree that you can't feel the strain of any of the weight. Just...a bit sluggish, I suppose.
Evinrude: ::He exhaled, and tested his mobility again.:: Wooh, now I feel the weight.
Nemes: Yes, it’s a lot of extra equipment we have to carry. But we won’t run a marathon with it.
Tucker: We are here to determine whether we can shut this down or repair it. I have half a mind to just shut it down and be done with it. Sencha radiation and chronitons do not play well.
Kessler: ::looking to the others who were closer to the consoles with the sensor scans:: What are the sensors says about the surface conditions?
Nemes: Weather conditions are not a problem. It's a bit windy out there. The radiation level is at 5 millisieverts at the moment. ::she looked up from her console and nodded:: That shouldn't be a problem with our suits, though. As I said, at the moment.
Tucker: Awesome ::rubbing his hands together:: let’s get going, it shouldn’t take us long to get to the power plant, at least that’s what I hope it is, and take stock of what’s going on.
Evinrude: Sounds like we have a break in the proverbial storm, then. ::He turned to look at Lieutenant Kessler.:: There may be some kind of cyclical pattern to the radiation bursts. We should move, sir.
Tucker: ::he nodded at Evinrude:: Tess is right, we need to get a move on. Mister Kessler, if you would lead the way.
Jack eyed the officer and then looked to Tucker and threw him a glance indicating they were ready.
Kessler: Aye sir.
The team secured the Sojourn before heading a short distance to the outbuilding he had pointed out. Jack hoped that it would give them some insight to what was causing the system wide issue, but most of all, kept to himself was the hopes that this might somehow lead them to a potential rescue plan of their Captain and First officer in another time.
Evinrude: Stable readings from up ahead, looks like a standard Romulan power plant for mid-size structures. ::When they reached the door he began looking for an access panel.:: Nothing experimental...yet.
Nemes: That seems to be the …doorbell.
Sybil pointed at a panel on the side of the door, and Jack eyed it cautiously.
Tucker: ::looking at Jack:: Would you be so kind to do that honors?
Kessler: Ringing the doorbell, aye.
Jack stepped over and tapped the control interface and nothing happened from the teams point of view. If it were a doorbell then it did not ring loud enough for them to hear it outside. Jack held up his left wrist and stepped closer to the interface so his wrist Tricorder could be as close as possible. He scanned the interface and then entered several commands on the Tricorder. The unit beeped at him with an annoying 'negative' response. Jack pressed his lips together and entered a new set of commands. The door slid open and Jack smiled lightly to himself. Taking the lead Jack stepped through the threshold and cleared the entrance for the team as they came over the threshold.
Evinrude: So it looks like this powerplant feeds in to the larger reactor dome. There must be some kind of power-routing diagram, something that shows a service tunnel or alternate access points. Waltzing down the main corridor would be...inadvisable, unless we can get the timing of those radiation bursts down perfectly.
Nemes: Hm, yes. But we’d need more data for that. ::she checked her wrist recorder:: Radiation levels have increased slightly. We are currently at 8 millisieverts. Not a cause for immediate concern, but the level is rising. ::beat:: As well as the temperature in her
As Evinrude and Nemes talked, Jack turned slowly in place, taking in everything he could visually while his wrist tricorder also scanned what it could. Threats could be anywhere, and could be anything. Just because this was a Romulan power station, Jack knew that Romulan's would not be the only threat to his team. Physical, structural threats could also pose issues to unwanted parties. So he put his eyes on every millimeter of the room as best as he could, looking for anything that posed a threat to them.
Tucker: Does anyone know Romulan by chance?
Kessler: Not as well as I should. But we can run any markings through the linguists database in the tricorders.
Evinrude: Response
Past the turbolift’s things went deeper into the station. As far as Jack could tell, these were administrative spaces. Tucker motioned for the group to follow him and Jack allowed the two operations officers to fall in between him and Tucker, giving Jack the ability to cover the rear of the group just in case anything or anyone wanted to try and sneak up on them.
Nemes: ::turning to Tess who was walking next to her:: What do you make of those readings?
Sybil pointed to the screen of the bulky device on her wrist.
Tucker: ::looking closely:: I don’t like the look of that Lieutenant. Are we sure it isn’t the Sencha radiation mucking with things?
Kessler: ::looking at his tricorder:: My scans are inconclusive from here. I suppose it could be the Sencha radiation.
The scans were not making sense to Jack, but this was his first time having to deal with this type of radiation first hand. It did not want to play nice with his tricorder or he was just so unfamiliar with it that he was not understanding the effect it could have.
Evinrude: Response
Nemes: No, it’s not the radiation. I’m picking up something else. There are recurring electrical impulses – not strong, but regular. ::beat, pointing in the direction that they were headed:: They are coming from the direction we’re headed to.
Just as if on cue, a combination of skittering and the sound of two crystals being rubbed together, like quartz was heard from further ahead of them. Tucker turned and threw a look at Jack. Jack's hand immediately feel to his phaser. He did not unholster it but, he moved it just enough to release some of the holster tension that normally held the phaser firmly in place.
Tucker: I’ve got a bad feeling about this…
Kessler: That's not what I think it is, is it?
Evinrude: Response
Nemes: ::checking the readings again:: Sir. They are moving. Towards us..
Tucker: Mister Kessler, I’m going think we want to make ourselves scarce for a minute or two, if my hunch is right, those are Tholians on the march, but they don’t sound like the normal warrior caste, they’re bigger and make much more noise. Either way, they’re still deadly.
Kessler: I'd prefer to avoid a firefight if we can.
Nemes / Evinrude: Response
The skittering grew closer as the team pressed forward. Marty reached up and pulled his phaser rifle from its place on his back. He flipped a switch and powered the Type 3b phaser rifle up. They entered another room, the double doors swishing open to reveal a mess hall. Tables strewn everywhere, which could be used for cover.
Marty looked around before looking at Kessler.
Tucker: What do you think, Mister Kessler? From what I can tell, we’ve got maybe a minute or so before they’re on us. And I don’t know if they’ll be friendly. As Tholians, I don’t suspect they’ll want to talk much once they see we have a Starfleet Delta.
Kessler: Looking around the space:: Agreed but we have limited options here.
Nemes / Evinrude: Response
As Jack scanned the area with his eyes, Tucker was also looking at what they had to play with; Jack and Marty's eyes landed on what their best bet was, the bar on the far side of the room. From there, they could see everything and possibly avoid having a shootout with the Tholians. Tucker motioned toward the bar.
Tucker: Behind here, hopefully, they’ll just march on through. And why they’re here, I have zero idea.
Kessler: I'll take the end closer to the corner, that will put me between the Tholians and you three. Nemes, Evinrude, stay between Tucker and I.
Nemes / Evinrude: Response
Tucker hopped the bar and slid off to the other side, where he turned and looked over the bar, his head barely sticking out. Jack and the others made their way across the bar as well and secured themselves. Jack slid his phaser from it's holster and then leaned out and around the corner just enough for him to see the approaching Tholians. They would be there any minute. The skittering was getting louder and Jack clutched the grip of his phaser a bit tighter. He mentally ran through his security and tactical training. Muscle memory would kick in from all his weapons training but he always ran through his mental checklist.
Tucker: ::loooking to Nemes:: How long before they’re on top of us, Lieutenant?
Nemes / Evinrude: Response
Kessler: ::whispering:: Power down anything you can except your phasers.
The last time Jack had dealt with Tholians, he and the team he was with had been able to avoid detection by reducing any power emissions they did not need. It had bought them time in a crucial moment that to this day, Jack feels would have ended horribly if they had not taken that tactical risk.
Tucker / Nemes / Evinrude: response
The skittering sound of the Tholians was now in the same open area of the Away team and Jack pressed his body tighter to the interior of the bar's inner wall. To his back was Nemes, Evinrude and then Tucker. In front of him, the corner edge of the bar leading out into the room. As he watched closely the Tholians came into view and the skittering of their movement continued on at the same pace and then it halted. The sound was gone and all Jack could hear was his own breathing. oO Just keep on moving. Oo He held as still as he could, hoping, wishing the skittering would start up again and head away from them. Silence continued to fall on the room and then that sound of crystal being rubbed on crystal, that ear grinding hollowed gouging sound seemed to rise up in the air above their heads.
Jack immediately knew one of the Tholians was turning their direction, or increasing it's height by standing up taller, as if standing on it's tippy toes. Jack lowered his hand to his back so that the others could see his hand signal. He gave everyone a signal to lower their profile even more. oO What I would give to be a shapeshifter right now. Oo
Then, suddenly and to much relief the skittering sound started up again. The Tholians were on the march once more. Jack leaned around the corner just enough to see the group moving away. The odds were not in the Away teams favor. There were five Tholians but the last two seemed to be carrying a rather large container of some type. As they cleared from the open space, Jack turned and moved back to the others, staying as low and as quiet as he could.
Kessler: ::whispering:: Five Tholians Commander. Two are carrying something large. Equipment of some sort I think.
Tucker / Nemes / Evinrude: response
Kessler: ::still whispering:: Might as well see where they came from and what they are doing. At this point they are between us and the exit anyways.
Jack hated pointing out the fact that five Tholians were between them and the only way out of this facility that they knew of but heading in the direction the Tholians came from was where the team wanted to go to begin with and it would put distance between the team and the Tholians.
Tucker / Nemes / Evinrude: response
Jack nodde to Tucker and lifted his phaser to a ready position and slowly stood from behind the bar.
TAGS/TBC