Ensign Roop - You Can’t Get There From Here

[Donald Furrow-Scott]

((Corridor outside Cargo Bay 02 & Shuttlebay 02, Deck 03, USS Compass Rose))  

Roop: So, this was the second time you've fought these things, Lieutenant? ::looking at Deacon::

Winters: We need a better defense and lets really hope there is not a third time.

Deacon: Unfortunately, Ensign, yes. And they keep getting creepier and harder to kill. The best way to disable them is to hit the spot directly in the center of the undercarriage. That will usually do the trick, but not always. Depends on the size, too.

T'Fearne: Response

Roop: How in the heavens did the Ronin ever survive that?

Winters: How indeed? Can we use that to our advantage or would these bots have adapted to your strategy from the last encounter?

Deacon:  A lot of airlocking and explosives. Chief Tucker had to cleanse one of the laboratories because it had freed itself from stasis and had to burn it to a crisp.

His triPADD chirping, Roop palm-aimed the display up from his hip and glanced at it. A heartfelt huff, probably picked up by his suit comm, left him, unbidden but cathartic. Chief Tucker and Lieutenant Evinrude on the Argo in the main shuttlebay had shut down the major scan jammer that had been crippling their scans of the Rose. Lieutenant T’Fearne was certainly right about the victurium alloys of the Oberth hull causing transporter lock issues; they still did. But with the jammer out of their annoying way, the shuttle sensors tied to the Rose and Ronin sensors could more than make up for the interference.

Roop: The jamming signal’s been cleared. ::looking up to face the other superior officers:: Ronin and Luster transporters are fully available to us. Recovery, resupply.

Kneeling to place a transporter tag on a nearby victim pile, Roop wondered at the charnel nature of this Consortium. He had begun to study some of the Ronin’s former missions, mostly looking at the methods and details of the Lattice Alliance, but the Consortium’s name had come up. With busy days, new onboard and precious few of them, all Roop had studied in depth so far were Dr. Tapio Rantala’s astronomical treatise on the Jenatris Cloud and corridor leading to the Consortium’s Par’tha Expanse, and then the specs of the wanted Vanguard class the CSS Vanquish. Neither of which had helped Roop contribute to the Mission by so much as a smidgen.

oO I’ll not be so ill-prepared for our next meeting. Oo

With a last glance out the view-strip at the now distant floating cargobay of Consortium spiders and thermite, Roop did not grade his performance on this mission well. Unfamiliarity with his fellow officers was palpable, but no excuse. He repeatedly had reacted more as a cadet in a test scenario than a graduate following orders. His inability to communicate tasks clearly, particularly with his counterparts Keneth and Dom, bothered him. Pondering and ruminating it all along the way, Roop had come to the conclusion that he saw engineering systems and protocols holistically, like Doctor Syrex looked at the ‘whole’ patient, mental and physical. The Second and Keneth might be approaching tasks from a more system-focused perspective. Containerized. It was a possible theory, but it was going to take a whole lot more time in the jefferies together to determine whether that was a significant reason for his failures to communicate with them seamlessly.

T'Fearne: Response

Winters: Ok, so we assume there are more or those two can get back aboard. How do we take them out without dismantling the rest of the ship?

Deacon: Someone said they had a photon grenade or two? Those would help immensely. But the problem is that some of these models have personal shields.

oO That's what it felt like. Explains a lot. Oo

 
Meeting Deacon’s serious glance after admitting facts, Roop was decidedly comfortable with Security’s “war-footing” for hostile encounters. His upbringing on an underwater world, and then a freshman security roommate, had instilled that streak in him. Too much of the universe was decidedly predatory to not back up diplomacy with strength. Winters, T’Fearne, and Deacon certainly offered the fully-armored defense aura of a not-so-subtle “don’t mess with me.”

Roop: Adjusting scans for similar Consortium metallurgy based on those active spiders. ::tirPADD responding to his settings:: They also have unique signals…I believe they communicate and…well, ’see’ in the ultraviolet spectrum. Some type of wave mechanic oscillations modulating in the emission spectrum. ::shifting jaw to one side in his helmet:: All the way down the hydrogen series. Clever. ::looking up, he immediately realized he was miscommunicating with his team again::

T'Fearne: Response

Winters: I wasn't here for that fight so I am deferring to your knowledge of the creepy crawlers.

 
Deacon: I’m not reading any more of the little bastards on my latest scans, so that’s good.

 
Roop: Confirmed, none on scan. ::looking up at his superiors:: An under-armed and vulnerable science vessel encountered a very lethal Consortium trap. But it wasn't set for them. ::looking around with shrugging hands:: They were simply the worm on the hook. The Ronin had to be the real target all along, didn’t it? The Compass Rose’s Captain failed protocol somewhere, probably starting with the scan jamming irregularities, and then the Consortium set the trap, and we raced to the rescue.

T'Fearne: Response

Deacon:  =/\= Deacon to commander Kel =/\=

Kel: =/\= Kel here. =/\=

Deacon seemed to become more alert at the Second’s voice. Roop followed his example, standing up straighter, more watchful, trying to improve his team skills.

Deacon: =/\=  We’re all wrapped up here, spiderbots were ejected. Want us to head to you? =/\=

Kel: =/\=  Excellent work Lieutenant.  If your team is up for it, you can begin sweeping the ship and getting patients to the triage area.  I think Dr. Beck is on the verge of a breakthrough.   =/\=

A huge smile broke across Roop’s face at that news. He wasn’t alone in that relief.

Winters: ::looking around the group:: Looks like light at the end of the tunnel finally.

Wondering at the past in the clear moment, Roop tried to think. oO When you play chess with masters, your defenses and maneuvers force your opponent’s moves. Moves and counter-moves, feints, blocks. The winner out-thinks your plans. All predictable. Why were the Consortium’s not predictable? Oo

T'Fearne: Response

Deacon: =/\= Aye, Commander, we’ll join you. We’ll take the long way and do a sweep. Deacon out.

Kel: =/\=  Good luck.  Kel out.   =/\=

Winters: Looks like round up time is here.

Roop: ::scanning the corridors and rooms ahead, Roop’s triPADD comm link-up now offered their suit HUDs’ crystal clear trackers for living life signs, deceased commbadges, and enhanced spider detection utilizing a Heisenbaerg-Schrödinger differentiation:: Have any of you played the game Durotta?

T'Fearne: Response

Deacon: Well, ya heard the man, let's skiddadle.

Winters: With pleasure.

Roop: In Durotta, you each choose your opponent’s piece to play.

T'Fearne: Response

Roop: That’s the Consortium’s angle here. Our pawns fought our own knights.

T'Fearne: Response

Roop: I mean, they knew our protocols and wanted us to follow them. They knew our moves before they even started.

 
T'Fearne: Response

Roop: Yessir. We were playing chess, not realizing they were playing Durotta. ::checking triPADD:: We’ve got two survivors ahead in rooms eighteen and twenty-two. ::voice shifting deeper and slower:: Fifteen remains as well, scattered. No signs of spiders or ultraviolet signals.

T’Fearne: Response (optional)

Falling into a familiar Search and Rescue protocol mode they all knew by heart, Roop also fell into line as the junior officer. He tried to present himself as he had wished Crewoman Ślimak had done. Less constantly questioning orders, more following them. Even if opponents were counting on Roop to follow protocols and orders, so were his superiors.

[[END of Act 3 and Mission for Roop]]
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Ensign Roop
HCO Officer assigned to Engineering & Lieutenant Tucker
USS Ronin NCC-34523
Captain Karrod Niac commanding
R240206OR1