[Act 3] Flt. Capt. Karrod Niac - Save the Whales
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Karrod Niac
Jun 4, 2026, 12:10:40 AM (2 days ago) Jun 4
to USS Ronin – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG
((OOC: Bit of editorial glue here - going to drop the tags at the end of the last Morgan sim on the bridge as I'd already wrapped up Act 2 - otherwise everything flows along as normal while we head towards our exciting finale!))
((Several Hours Later, Ready Room - Deck 3 - USS Ronin))
With a osteogenic brace wrapped around his shattered knee and a headache that had so far resisted all efforts at treatment, Karrod deliberately paced around his office in a misguided attempt to speed along his recovery. When the medical team had finally made their way to the bridge after treating some of the more seriously injured members of the crew they tried and failed to move him to sickbay for several hours of bone repairs...something he quite simply hadn't had the time for. The brace was a compromise...enough to keep him on his feet and from doing further damage to what was left of his knee but also a reminder that he should be laying on a biobed and letting the very skilled medical professionals on his staff do their jobs and treat him properly.
He'd already marked them down for a commendation...something he intended to add to the log entries they'd upload to a probe and launch in the direction of DS33. He huffed and tapped at the padd in his hand, resuming the log entry he'd been working on for the last few minutes.
//Captain's Log, Supplemental
Niac: ...having successfully made contact with the organism who identifies as 'Narhelion,' we've learned a great deal about it and its history. It was created by a race it knows only as the 'Caretakers,' who served not only as its crew but almost as an extension of the organism itself. Through telepathic mechanisms we're still working to make sense of it can communicate and share information, impressions, even its emotional state...something that overwhelmed several members of the crew during its earlier attempts at communication. Apparently it has been a great deal of time since anyone was able to get close enough for it to even attempt to do so...and in many such cases it was either attacked or so incomprehensible that communication has continually failed. While we've been successful in establishing a dialogue with the creature, it has made a startling proposal...and has asked us to donate materials from the Ronin so that it can reproduce. It believes itself to be the very last of its kind and does not wish to fade from existence before it has a chance to pass on all that it is...and all that it has learned. I must admit to some mixed feelings about the request but unfortunately, it takes a back seat to our more immediate challenges which are presently three-fold. The first and most pressing is that, due to damage suffered in an unprovoked Lattice Alliance attack and owing to the creatures age, it is gravely wounded and unable to repair itself to complete its journey. It has requested whatever help we can provide and to that end I have authorized Commander Kel and Doctor De La Croix to transport a large quantity of material aboard Narhelion to perform emergency surgery on a vast scale. To support their efforts I've asked Ensigns Wren and Marsek to link up with Doctor Kel, along with Lieutenant Velis who has been successful in maintaining stable telepathic communication with the creature. Ensign Akani will escort Ensign Marsek aboard and establish an internal defense perimeter around them to ensure they're not interrupted while surgery is underway. At the same time, Commander Raga, Lt. Cmdr. Tucker, Lieutenant Venn, Lt. T'Fearne, Doctor Shortrith and Lt. Jg. Evinrude are making their way to a type of control center, where they can further help with repairs and can serve as temporary 'Caretakers' to guide Narhelion on the final leg of its journey.
//Pause
He paused the recording and glanced back out the viewport where the rippling patterns on Narhelions hull were visibly dimming, the light pulses becoming irregular and dull. He hadn't needed more reasons to loathe the Lattice Alliance's contempt for any life that was not their own but wounding a creature like this was proving to be offensive to him on a level that radiated along every fiber in his being.
//Resume
Niac: Our other two problems are, while slightly less immediate, no less catastrophic. Narhelion is being drawn towards what it can only describe as a beacon, which seems to be some sort of instinctual drive when one of these creatures is approaching the end of its lifecycle. I am not certain what it hopes to find at the end of this journey but our sensors have spotted a massive subspace fissure along our present course. Even from this distance we can tell the gravametric sheer is more than enough to destroy anything that gets close but Narhelion claims that is its final destination and will not divert from its course. Which leads to our final challenge. The Tholian cruiser Narhelion so easily destroyed must have been an advance element of the large Lattice Alliance taskforce we've been tracking for the last several hours. Composed of a mix of Tholian and Sheliak ships numbering in the dozens, they are on an intercept course and clearly intend to capture or destroy Narhelion before it can reach its final destination. I will not allow that to happen. I've recalled Lieutenant Kessler to put together a defense strategy and have convinced Narhelion to release the Ronin when we get close so we can provide cover as it crosses the final distance towards the fissure. I am uncertain if it understands what we are proposing but I am transferring several runabouts to Narhelion as escape vessels so the away teams have a means of returning to Federation space should the Ronin be lost in the ensuing battle.
//Pause
He looked at the last line and considered deleting it but shook his head. His crew knew the choice they were facing and would not abandon Narhelion to face its end alone. He had discussed this with Toryn and V'Len and knew they were in agreement...even if they had tried to convince him to transfer to Narhelion while they took the bridge. He smiled at the thought of it and tapped at the padd.
//Resume
Niac: My orders from Starfleet were to prevent this creature and the technology it represents from falling into enemy hands and I intend to carry out those orders to the best of my ability. To that end I am including all data we have collected, all sensor logs and tricorder scans along with our log entries so that some record of this encounter will survive for future study. We have no illusions about our chances of winning this fight...but if we can buy this creature enough time to reach its end without falling into the hands of the Alliance I will consider our mission accomplished. I cannot...I will not let this creature perish alone in the void.
//End Log
He tapped at the padd and began the upload process, transferring all they had collected to the probe already loaded in one of the aft bays. He glanced around his office, to the small collection of curios he'd accumulated over the past few years on the shelves behind his desk, then to the Ronin's crest proudly looking back at him from the far wall. He nodded to it and tugged his uniform jacket back in place as he headed for the Bridge, the brace whirring slightly with each painful step.
((Bridge, Deck 3, USS Ronin))
Making his way out of his office he took the time to stop and nod to each officer now manning the bridge, starting with the Ensign at Engineering. He offered the man a tight smile.
Niac: Mr. Nakada...what's the status of our repairs? I'd hate to disappoint that Alliance task force.
Nakada: Response
He smiled and nodded, walking towards the tactical station.
Niac: Very well, get me all the power you can find...and then steal me a bit more from somewhere. Mr. Kessler here is going to need it. What's the status of our tactical systems?
Nakada/Kessler: Response
His smile didn't falter as he tried to factor that into his planning.
Niac: Can't be helped Lieutenant. But I do want to make an impression on the Alliance...so I'm authorizing the deployment of our tricobalt devices. I believe we had six in the armory the last time I checked so indulge yourself. Remind the Alliance that we beat them back at DS33...and we damn well intend to do it again. Understood?
Kessler: Response
He worked hard not to stumble as he gritted his teeth through the last few painful steps to the Chair. After lowing himself with as much dignity as grace as he could manage he nodded towards the helm where he was glad to see Lt. Cmdr. O'Connor in his customary place behind the controls.
Niac: Mr. O'Connor, once Narhelion releases its tractor beam your job is to keep us between it and anything the Alliance is dumb enough to send towards it. I realize those Tholian vessels are significantly faster and more maneuverable than us but they don't have someone with your skills at the helm. Sound like a fun way to spend your afternoon?
Kessler/Nakada/O'Connor: Response
He glanced around and felt a swell of pride as he saw the look of steady determination on the faces around him.
Niac: Gentlemen, you know what we're flying into. If anyone wishes to transfer to the creature and take your chances there...I won't hold it against you.
Kessler/Nakada/O'Connor: Response
He smiled and turned to face the viewscreen where the long range sensors reported the forward most elements of the task force just entering the area. They'd be on them in less than an hour now.
Niac: Thank you. Mr. Kessler...red alert.
Kessler/Nakada/O'Connor: Response
[Tags/TBC!]
================================
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
((Several Hours Later, Ready Room - Deck 3 - USS Ronin))
With a osteogenic brace wrapped around his shattered knee and a headache that had so far resisted all efforts at treatment, Karrod deliberately paced around his office in a misguided attempt to speed along his recovery. When the medical team had finally made their way to the bridge after treating some of the more seriously injured members of the crew they tried and failed to move him to sickbay for several hours of bone repairs...something he quite simply hadn't had the time for. The brace was a compromise...enough to keep him on his feet and from doing further damage to what was left of his knee but also a reminder that he should be laying on a biobed and letting the very skilled medical professionals on his staff do their jobs and treat him properly.
He'd already marked them down for a commendation...something he intended to add to the log entries they'd upload to a probe and launch in the direction of DS33. He huffed and tapped at the padd in his hand, resuming the log entry he'd been working on for the last few minutes.
//Captain's Log, Supplemental
Niac: ...having successfully made contact with the organism who identifies as 'Narhelion,' we've learned a great deal about it and its history. It was created by a race it knows only as the 'Caretakers,' who served not only as its crew but almost as an extension of the organism itself. Through telepathic mechanisms we're still working to make sense of it can communicate and share information, impressions, even its emotional state...something that overwhelmed several members of the crew during its earlier attempts at communication. Apparently it has been a great deal of time since anyone was able to get close enough for it to even attempt to do so...and in many such cases it was either attacked or so incomprehensible that communication has continually failed. While we've been successful in establishing a dialogue with the creature, it has made a startling proposal...and has asked us to donate materials from the Ronin so that it can reproduce. It believes itself to be the very last of its kind and does not wish to fade from existence before it has a chance to pass on all that it is...and all that it has learned. I must admit to some mixed feelings about the request but unfortunately, it takes a back seat to our more immediate challenges which are presently three-fold. The first and most pressing is that, due to damage suffered in an unprovoked Lattice Alliance attack and owing to the creatures age, it is gravely wounded and unable to repair itself to complete its journey. It has requested whatever help we can provide and to that end I have authorized Commander Kel and Doctor De La Croix to transport a large quantity of material aboard Narhelion to perform emergency surgery on a vast scale. To support their efforts I've asked Ensigns Wren and Marsek to link up with Doctor Kel, along with Lieutenant Velis who has been successful in maintaining stable telepathic communication with the creature. Ensign Akani will escort Ensign Marsek aboard and establish an internal defense perimeter around them to ensure they're not interrupted while surgery is underway. At the same time, Commander Raga, Lt. Cmdr. Tucker, Lieutenant Venn, Lt. T'Fearne, Doctor Shortrith and Lt. Jg. Evinrude are making their way to a type of control center, where they can further help with repairs and can serve as temporary 'Caretakers' to guide Narhelion on the final leg of its journey.
//Pause
He paused the recording and glanced back out the viewport where the rippling patterns on Narhelions hull were visibly dimming, the light pulses becoming irregular and dull. He hadn't needed more reasons to loathe the Lattice Alliance's contempt for any life that was not their own but wounding a creature like this was proving to be offensive to him on a level that radiated along every fiber in his being.
//Resume
Niac: Our other two problems are, while slightly less immediate, no less catastrophic. Narhelion is being drawn towards what it can only describe as a beacon, which seems to be some sort of instinctual drive when one of these creatures is approaching the end of its lifecycle. I am not certain what it hopes to find at the end of this journey but our sensors have spotted a massive subspace fissure along our present course. Even from this distance we can tell the gravametric sheer is more than enough to destroy anything that gets close but Narhelion claims that is its final destination and will not divert from its course. Which leads to our final challenge. The Tholian cruiser Narhelion so easily destroyed must have been an advance element of the large Lattice Alliance taskforce we've been tracking for the last several hours. Composed of a mix of Tholian and Sheliak ships numbering in the dozens, they are on an intercept course and clearly intend to capture or destroy Narhelion before it can reach its final destination. I will not allow that to happen. I've recalled Lieutenant Kessler to put together a defense strategy and have convinced Narhelion to release the Ronin when we get close so we can provide cover as it crosses the final distance towards the fissure. I am uncertain if it understands what we are proposing but I am transferring several runabouts to Narhelion as escape vessels so the away teams have a means of returning to Federation space should the Ronin be lost in the ensuing battle.
//Pause
He looked at the last line and considered deleting it but shook his head. His crew knew the choice they were facing and would not abandon Narhelion to face its end alone. He had discussed this with Toryn and V'Len and knew they were in agreement...even if they had tried to convince him to transfer to Narhelion while they took the bridge. He smiled at the thought of it and tapped at the padd.
//Resume
Niac: My orders from Starfleet were to prevent this creature and the technology it represents from falling into enemy hands and I intend to carry out those orders to the best of my ability. To that end I am including all data we have collected, all sensor logs and tricorder scans along with our log entries so that some record of this encounter will survive for future study. We have no illusions about our chances of winning this fight...but if we can buy this creature enough time to reach its end without falling into the hands of the Alliance I will consider our mission accomplished. I cannot...I will not let this creature perish alone in the void.
//End Log
He tapped at the padd and began the upload process, transferring all they had collected to the probe already loaded in one of the aft bays. He glanced around his office, to the small collection of curios he'd accumulated over the past few years on the shelves behind his desk, then to the Ronin's crest proudly looking back at him from the far wall. He nodded to it and tugged his uniform jacket back in place as he headed for the Bridge, the brace whirring slightly with each painful step.
((Bridge, Deck 3, USS Ronin))
Making his way out of his office he took the time to stop and nod to each officer now manning the bridge, starting with the Ensign at Engineering. He offered the man a tight smile.
Niac: Mr. Nakada...what's the status of our repairs? I'd hate to disappoint that Alliance task force.
Nakada: Response
He smiled and nodded, walking towards the tactical station.
Niac: Very well, get me all the power you can find...and then steal me a bit more from somewhere. Mr. Kessler here is going to need it. What's the status of our tactical systems?
Nakada/Kessler: Response
His smile didn't falter as he tried to factor that into his planning.
Niac: Can't be helped Lieutenant. But I do want to make an impression on the Alliance...so I'm authorizing the deployment of our tricobalt devices. I believe we had six in the armory the last time I checked so indulge yourself. Remind the Alliance that we beat them back at DS33...and we damn well intend to do it again. Understood?
Kessler: Response
He worked hard not to stumble as he gritted his teeth through the last few painful steps to the Chair. After lowing himself with as much dignity as grace as he could manage he nodded towards the helm where he was glad to see Lt. Cmdr. O'Connor in his customary place behind the controls.
Niac: Mr. O'Connor, once Narhelion releases its tractor beam your job is to keep us between it and anything the Alliance is dumb enough to send towards it. I realize those Tholian vessels are significantly faster and more maneuverable than us but they don't have someone with your skills at the helm. Sound like a fun way to spend your afternoon?
Kessler/Nakada/O'Connor: Response
He glanced around and felt a swell of pride as he saw the look of steady determination on the faces around him.
Niac: Gentlemen, you know what we're flying into. If anyone wishes to transfer to the creature and take your chances there...I won't hold it against you.
Kessler/Nakada/O'Connor: Response
He smiled and turned to face the viewscreen where the long range sensors reported the forward most elements of the task force just entering the area. They'd be on them in less than an hour now.
Niac: Thank you. Mr. Kessler...red alert.
Kessler/Nakada/O'Connor: Response
[Tags/TBC!]
================================
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
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