Flt. Capt. Karrod Niac - Risky Business
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Karrod Niac
May 15, 2026, 10:18:43 PM (23 hours ago) May 15
to USS Ronin – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG
((Bridge, Deck 3, USS Ronin, Nearly Three Hours Later))
Tucker: =/\= Commander Tucker to the bridge, did ya’lls lights just flicker? =/\=
Raga: =/\= You could say that. The creature just focused some sort of energy surge on us. Has more than a few of us out of sorts. =/\=
Glancing around he could see V'Len and Lt. Venn still wincing even as the medical team passed between the officers, scanning and administering hypos with practiced efficiency.
Niac: =/\= For the moment we're secure and operating under the assumption that was a polite, if loud, 'hello.' Panels still resetting down there? =/\=
Tucker: =/\= Yeah, same here and I’m assuming the rest of the ship, we’ll try to track it down but I’m pretty sure it’s an electrical systems thing, which my best guess is ‘surging’. =/\=
Even as Chief Tucker reported Karrod could hear his team working our particulars close behind him.
Cabrillo: =/\= So now we need a ship wide surge protector whale sized? =/\=
Nakada: =/\= Perhaps, but where would we install it? =/\=
Tucker: =/\= We also installed the new deep space package. It was going to be used by stellarcartography, but I’m guessing it might be better to get a good look at the beastie without probes that could get damaged or be seen as hostile. =/\=
Niac: =/\= Well done Chief, we'll put it to use immediately. Mr. Kel, Lieutenants...tie into the deep space sensor package and begin scanning as much of the region as you can. Might be nice to know why our friend out there is swimming through this area. =/\=
Raga: =/\= We already have a class 2 probe drifting behind us. We tossed it out the flight deck. Be sure to tap into its feed when you can. But good to know. The more data we can get the better. =/\=
The steady swell of the ship under his boots gave way to a gentler roll that barely registered. Karrod looked towards Toryn and back to V'len before glancing at the viewscreen.
Niac: Did you find a way to compensate for the turbulence or did that… ::he nodded towards the viewscreen and corrected himself::....or did our friend out there decide to give us a break?
Kel: ::breathing deeply and raising his head:: Whatever was happening has stopped.
Raga: I did, partially, the turbulence is still there. The creature is moving at a constant speed. The probe picked up energy discharges along its body. Most highly concentrated at the aft and bow. There’s a pattern to it. If I’m being honest, it’s almost like our friend is perfectly matching forward thrust enough with the thrust its movements are creating to keep its speed constant. It’s safe to assume something that size has enough of a gravity well that it can’t just rely on the laws of motion to keep it going without having a means of thrust?
He looked back towards their Chief Science Officer for confirmation.
Kessler/Velis: Response
Niac: Either way I'm going to take it as a good sign. The question now becomes...how much do we want to test our luck today? Mr. Raga, Chief Kessler...based on the data we've recovered so far...do you think we could safely get an away team or two aboard that vessel? Lt. Velis, Lt. Venn...got any good spots picked out yet?
Venn: Not yet, Captain. Are we sure it’s even safe to go there?
Kel: ::regarding his console:: Believe it or don't the passages inside the creature show atmosphere. Slightly different composition than your average M-Class planet, but nothing we'd necessarily need EV suits for.
Raga: I doubt it’s any less safe than most of the things we do on any given mission. But you two are the mission specialists. And the fact this creature has such cavities suggests it’s partially artificial. Standard away team protocols then, every armed just in case?
Kessler/Velis: Response
Venn: Captain, I don’t really relish the idea of killing something so magnificent, but it did just attack us. And it seems it didn’t even try that hard. What if we really and truly provoke it? Then what happens to us? What if…
Karrod felt his scowl deepening as he turned in his chair towards the young Lieutenant. Apparently his expression was enough to cause her to reconsider and pause midsentence.
Venn: Sorry, Captain. I just think we need to a be a bit more cautious about this. But, your command, sir, and if you want me to go over there, I will.
Kel: Captain Niac, I don't believe that was an attack. If it wasn't actually communication it was likely the creature sensing the environment around it. We should approach with caution of course.
Raga: Lieutenant, you’re assuming that was an attack. I’m inclined to agree with Mister Kel. The probe telemetry shows the energy discharge seemed to fall off drastically after the initial impact but lingered a bit and covered the entire ship. ::he glanced at the viewscreen:: I’d be surprised if something that advanced would have weapons so ineffectual against our ship. It could have been nothing more than a scan. ::to Karrod:: Though, it wouldn’t be the first time a weapon was designed to incapacitate a crew rather than destroy a vessel. We just don’t know enough.
He tried to imagine himself in her shoes and replied gently.
Niac: Lieutenant...I appreciate your concern but someone once said, quite correctly, that risk is our business. We don't take those risks randomly...and we don't make assumptions about what we find after we do. We probed the life form...have you considered the possibility it did exactly the same thing in return? That was the risk we took...and now we know more than we did before.
Kessler/Velis: Responses
Venn: Aye, sir. Then I think we need to start with some place that seems a bit safer, furthest point away from that energy source in the center.
The main viewscreen changed to reflect scans they’d taken earlier.
Kel: There's a chamber here ::highlighting a small area:: in the anterior, dorsal space. Might be an interesting nerve cluster.
Raga: If that’s a nerve cluster should we beam directly next to it? While we have no way of knowing what the purpose of any of those chambers is from here, I suggest we try and go for something that might be the equivalent of a non-critical area. Just in case that thing has internal defenses. If the nerve clusters are similar to our console or optical network it might be considered a vital system.
The internal layout was a fascinating series of interconnected organic shapes, more cylindrical and sleek than the cubes and rectangles that made up the inner structure of so many vessels. All seemed to flow from one to another with a grace that seemed to perfect to be entirely natural. He tapped a few keys on the armrest and the viewscreen enhanced one small section near the outer hull.
Niac: That...chamber is completely empty but it's nearly a hundred meters across and seems to connect directly to the hull...maybe their version of a shuttlebay? It would be a bit of a hike but a team could get to that nerve cluster from there...and it makes a good fallback point if things go sideways. What do you think Mr. Kessler...want to take a walk?
Kessler/Velis/Venn: Responses
Another portion of the creature on the posterior, ventral surface was highlighted next.
Kel: This seems to be a large chamber. Unclear what's there, but it might be another jumping off point.
Raga: That might be the optimal beam in site.
The image rotated around almost completely to show a chamber below and on the opposite side of the vessel. Like the first it was removed from anything that looked critical...but it would allow a team to make their way into the ship from a reasonably safe jumping off point.
Niac: I agree and with the two teams converging from opposite directions, they'll have the opportunity to link up in the middle of the ship if the need arises. Mr. Kessler...do I remember correctly that your holo-canine has some reconnaissance capabilities? You may want to take your dog on this walk, Chief.
Kessler/Velis/Venn: Responses
Kel: We could easily fly a shuttle through the opening on the ventral surface, but I'd propose beaming teams in instead. That would likely be less invasive.
Raga: Fair point. I know if I was simply flying through space minding my own business I would be a little upset if some random stranger decided to fly up inside me.
He found himself nodding in amused agreement before he remembered to wipe the smile off his face.
Niac: Plus, that leaves the shuttles as a fallback option...if for whatever reason our people can't beam out, they evacuate to either of the insertion points...::He tried not to glare as someone snickered in the background::...the beam in coordinates and we extract with shuttles.
Kessler/Velis/Venn/Kel: Responses
Raga: Innuendos aside, I think beaming in is the better option until we have more data. I would recommend that the away teams bring pattern enhancers or wear transport armbands in case we trip any countermeasures against intruders. ::he added:: With a shuttle on standby in case we need alternate retrieval options.
Niac: Agreed...something tells me Major Singh already has the entire airwing on standby so I'm certain we're covered there...although I want a little more confidence in our analysis of the internal atmosphere before I'm going to forego EVA suits. What do you think Mr. Kel, Lt. Velis...would you want a lungful of whatever is in there? Lieutenant Venn...feeling any more ready to take the next risk?
Kessler/Velis/Venn/Kel/Raga: Responses
Niac: Very well then get your teams prepped. Mr. Raga, ask Chief Tucker to put together an engineering away team as well...I want his technological perspective on this creature. We'll beam in all three teams at the same time. Learn everything you can...we need to find some way to communicate with this creature without giving half the people on this ship a headache.
Kessler/Velis/Venn/Kel/Raga: Responses
[Tags/TBC!]
================================
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
Tucker: =/\= Commander Tucker to the bridge, did ya’lls lights just flicker? =/\=
Raga: =/\= You could say that. The creature just focused some sort of energy surge on us. Has more than a few of us out of sorts. =/\=
Glancing around he could see V'Len and Lt. Venn still wincing even as the medical team passed between the officers, scanning and administering hypos with practiced efficiency.
Niac: =/\= For the moment we're secure and operating under the assumption that was a polite, if loud, 'hello.' Panels still resetting down there? =/\=
Tucker: =/\= Yeah, same here and I’m assuming the rest of the ship, we’ll try to track it down but I’m pretty sure it’s an electrical systems thing, which my best guess is ‘surging’. =/\=
Even as Chief Tucker reported Karrod could hear his team working our particulars close behind him.
Cabrillo: =/\= So now we need a ship wide surge protector whale sized? =/\=
Nakada: =/\= Perhaps, but where would we install it? =/\=
Tucker: =/\= We also installed the new deep space package. It was going to be used by stellarcartography, but I’m guessing it might be better to get a good look at the beastie without probes that could get damaged or be seen as hostile. =/\=
Niac: =/\= Well done Chief, we'll put it to use immediately. Mr. Kel, Lieutenants...tie into the deep space sensor package and begin scanning as much of the region as you can. Might be nice to know why our friend out there is swimming through this area. =/\=
Raga: =/\= We already have a class 2 probe drifting behind us. We tossed it out the flight deck. Be sure to tap into its feed when you can. But good to know. The more data we can get the better. =/\=
The steady swell of the ship under his boots gave way to a gentler roll that barely registered. Karrod looked towards Toryn and back to V'len before glancing at the viewscreen.
Niac: Did you find a way to compensate for the turbulence or did that… ::he nodded towards the viewscreen and corrected himself::....or did our friend out there decide to give us a break?
Kel: ::breathing deeply and raising his head:: Whatever was happening has stopped.
Raga: I did, partially, the turbulence is still there. The creature is moving at a constant speed. The probe picked up energy discharges along its body. Most highly concentrated at the aft and bow. There’s a pattern to it. If I’m being honest, it’s almost like our friend is perfectly matching forward thrust enough with the thrust its movements are creating to keep its speed constant. It’s safe to assume something that size has enough of a gravity well that it can’t just rely on the laws of motion to keep it going without having a means of thrust?
He looked back towards their Chief Science Officer for confirmation.
Kessler/Velis: Response
Niac: Either way I'm going to take it as a good sign. The question now becomes...how much do we want to test our luck today? Mr. Raga, Chief Kessler...based on the data we've recovered so far...do you think we could safely get an away team or two aboard that vessel? Lt. Velis, Lt. Venn...got any good spots picked out yet?
Venn: Not yet, Captain. Are we sure it’s even safe to go there?
Kel: ::regarding his console:: Believe it or don't the passages inside the creature show atmosphere. Slightly different composition than your average M-Class planet, but nothing we'd necessarily need EV suits for.
Raga: I doubt it’s any less safe than most of the things we do on any given mission. But you two are the mission specialists. And the fact this creature has such cavities suggests it’s partially artificial. Standard away team protocols then, every armed just in case?
Kessler/Velis: Response
Venn: Captain, I don’t really relish the idea of killing something so magnificent, but it did just attack us. And it seems it didn’t even try that hard. What if we really and truly provoke it? Then what happens to us? What if…
Karrod felt his scowl deepening as he turned in his chair towards the young Lieutenant. Apparently his expression was enough to cause her to reconsider and pause midsentence.
Venn: Sorry, Captain. I just think we need to a be a bit more cautious about this. But, your command, sir, and if you want me to go over there, I will.
Kel: Captain Niac, I don't believe that was an attack. If it wasn't actually communication it was likely the creature sensing the environment around it. We should approach with caution of course.
Raga: Lieutenant, you’re assuming that was an attack. I’m inclined to agree with Mister Kel. The probe telemetry shows the energy discharge seemed to fall off drastically after the initial impact but lingered a bit and covered the entire ship. ::he glanced at the viewscreen:: I’d be surprised if something that advanced would have weapons so ineffectual against our ship. It could have been nothing more than a scan. ::to Karrod:: Though, it wouldn’t be the first time a weapon was designed to incapacitate a crew rather than destroy a vessel. We just don’t know enough.
He tried to imagine himself in her shoes and replied gently.
Niac: Lieutenant...I appreciate your concern but someone once said, quite correctly, that risk is our business. We don't take those risks randomly...and we don't make assumptions about what we find after we do. We probed the life form...have you considered the possibility it did exactly the same thing in return? That was the risk we took...and now we know more than we did before.
Kessler/Velis: Responses
Venn: Aye, sir. Then I think we need to start with some place that seems a bit safer, furthest point away from that energy source in the center.
The main viewscreen changed to reflect scans they’d taken earlier.
Kel: There's a chamber here ::highlighting a small area:: in the anterior, dorsal space. Might be an interesting nerve cluster.
Raga: If that’s a nerve cluster should we beam directly next to it? While we have no way of knowing what the purpose of any of those chambers is from here, I suggest we try and go for something that might be the equivalent of a non-critical area. Just in case that thing has internal defenses. If the nerve clusters are similar to our console or optical network it might be considered a vital system.
The internal layout was a fascinating series of interconnected organic shapes, more cylindrical and sleek than the cubes and rectangles that made up the inner structure of so many vessels. All seemed to flow from one to another with a grace that seemed to perfect to be entirely natural. He tapped a few keys on the armrest and the viewscreen enhanced one small section near the outer hull.
Niac: That...chamber is completely empty but it's nearly a hundred meters across and seems to connect directly to the hull...maybe their version of a shuttlebay? It would be a bit of a hike but a team could get to that nerve cluster from there...and it makes a good fallback point if things go sideways. What do you think Mr. Kessler...want to take a walk?
Kessler/Velis/Venn: Responses
Another portion of the creature on the posterior, ventral surface was highlighted next.
Kel: This seems to be a large chamber. Unclear what's there, but it might be another jumping off point.
Raga: That might be the optimal beam in site.
The image rotated around almost completely to show a chamber below and on the opposite side of the vessel. Like the first it was removed from anything that looked critical...but it would allow a team to make their way into the ship from a reasonably safe jumping off point.
Niac: I agree and with the two teams converging from opposite directions, they'll have the opportunity to link up in the middle of the ship if the need arises. Mr. Kessler...do I remember correctly that your holo-canine has some reconnaissance capabilities? You may want to take your dog on this walk, Chief.
Kessler/Velis/Venn: Responses
Kel: We could easily fly a shuttle through the opening on the ventral surface, but I'd propose beaming teams in instead. That would likely be less invasive.
Raga: Fair point. I know if I was simply flying through space minding my own business I would be a little upset if some random stranger decided to fly up inside me.
He found himself nodding in amused agreement before he remembered to wipe the smile off his face.
Niac: Plus, that leaves the shuttles as a fallback option...if for whatever reason our people can't beam out, they evacuate to either of the insertion points...::He tried not to glare as someone snickered in the background::...the beam in coordinates and we extract with shuttles.
Kessler/Velis/Venn/Kel: Responses
Raga: Innuendos aside, I think beaming in is the better option until we have more data. I would recommend that the away teams bring pattern enhancers or wear transport armbands in case we trip any countermeasures against intruders. ::he added:: With a shuttle on standby in case we need alternate retrieval options.
Niac: Agreed...something tells me Major Singh already has the entire airwing on standby so I'm certain we're covered there...although I want a little more confidence in our analysis of the internal atmosphere before I'm going to forego EVA suits. What do you think Mr. Kel, Lt. Velis...would you want a lungful of whatever is in there? Lieutenant Venn...feeling any more ready to take the next risk?
Kessler/Velis/Venn/Kel/Raga: Responses
Niac: Very well then get your teams prepped. Mr. Raga, ask Chief Tucker to put together an engineering away team as well...I want his technological perspective on this creature. We'll beam in all three teams at the same time. Learn everything you can...we need to find some way to communicate with this creature without giving half the people on this ship a headache.
Kessler/Velis/Venn/Kel/Raga: Responses
[Tags/TBC!]
================================
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
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