Flt. Capt. Karrod Niac - Run Fox(y) Run
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Karrod Niac
Mar 28, 2026, 12:13:50 AM (4 days ago) Mar 28
to USS Ronin – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG
((Science Lab 2, Deck 10, USS Ronin))
Niac: I mean, do you think they harvested enough of this extra-universal material to try this again somewhere else? Somewhere deeper in their territory where we wouldn't know about it until they were successful or until there was a big hole in subspace where our galaxy used to be.
Zh'taan: I don’t have all the information on this subject. ::He briefly glanced at V'len:: But from what I saw on Moon Sigma, the Romulan technology used was rather outdated. I think they could make do with older, even abandoned complexes to deploy their technology.
Kel: Could we detect such a facility? When we entered the system there was nothing unusual until the Kurosawa arrived and that lid blew off.
Wren: The system didn’t even register the temporal eddies until it was too late. That’s why we thought for so long that…. Well....
Karrod saw the dark look pass over Ensign Wren's face as her words faltered, not needing further explanation.
Niac: Understood...so we're not in a position to detect this from a distance...we'll need to put something together for Starfleet, get every probe and subspace monitoring station in the region in on the search.
Zh'taan: I would recommend that we store the results of the anomaly signature analysis and compare them with the Starfleet database. It might allow us to detect other sites with similar characteristics… I think.
Kel: Good thinking Ensign. We could also use the sensor array Starfleet has placed in the Alpha Isles, see if we can detect anything.
Another look passed across Ensign Wren's features but this time it was one of consideration, the gears of her mind visibly turning.
Niac: Agreed, I'll make sure it's considered top priority. With your analysis of the damage this was doing to subspace accompanying it I'm confident Starfleet Security won't drag their feet.
Kel: What about the Argus Array? Could we aim that at Alliance Territory? See what it sees?
Wren: That might help, but that wouldn’t work for every ship. This all happened in our territory, not theirs, which means there’s a risk of multiple ships encountering it at once.
Zh'taan: But for now, no other incident like ours has been recorded in the database. There is still a small chance that what happened in the Ross-580 system was an isolated case.
Nodding, he considered the strategic picture as much as he could. Thankfully the xenophobic nature of the Alliance's two key members, the Tholians and the Sheliak, meant they didn't share often or freely with others.
Niac: I think you're both right...we're going to get the word out and I'm confident the larger fleet, stretched thin as it still is, will be able to keep a weather eye out...but it's ultimately going to be on the Ronin to deal with this if the Alliance makes another attempt.
Kel: What about a covert mission into Alliance Territory? See what we can find? I could get Kos to lend me the Foxy Lady. It's an unassuming freighter, perfect for something like this.
It wasn't a suggestion that Karrod had expected and his first instinct was to deny the request but the eager, determined looks on the faces around him gave him pause and he found himself considering it more seriously.
Zh'taan: That would allow us to gather enough data to complete our database!
Much as he appreciated the enthusiasm Karrod pursed his lips, concerned not only for his people...but for his nagging sense of responsibility for the whole problem. Within Niac, Sencha all but writhed in frustration.
Niac: The Lady might be non-descript but it's also a...and with all respect to Kos...a rusty bucket of a thing. If you get in trouble out there V'Len...if you run across anything from an asteroid with an attitude up to a Consortium cruiser we're not going to be in a position to support you.
Kel: I've done this sort of thing before Karrod it's nothing new to me. If the Alliance is building other reactors like this Starfleet needs to know.
Wren: ::thinking back to her childhood anatomy lessons:: What if we created a sensor that could detect Sencha radiation like it’s a virus?
Zh'taan: That’s a good idea, the radiation should be easily detectable by medical sensors given the effects it has on certain organisms.
Karrod paused, his thoughts suddenly going sideways as Sencha took the proverbial reins once again.
Niac: I never...::he jabbed at his gut and regained himself before starting over:: Sencha never considered applying that kind of...diagnostic approach...to detecting this form of radiation. She wasn't a biologist or a medical doctor and none of this...::He sighed as he gestured towards their findings on the weapon::...was part of what she intended. Do you really think it could work?
Kel: Response
Wren: I’ve been through the records of what we know about the radiation, and Starfleet computers simply don’t have enough data to properly recognize what it’s detecting. It’s like suddenly exposing a population to a completely alien pathogen. Sometimes there are survivors, but what usually happens is the population is quickly killed because their bodies have no frame of reference for what they’re fighting.
He nodded, encouraging her to continue as he mulled it all over.
Niac: Go on Ensign, you've got me interested.
Kel: Response
Zh'taan: And this radiation can “contaminate” both people and equipment.
Wren: ::Talking a little faster now:: Exactly. But when a population is slowly acclimated to the pathogen over a long period of time, eventually they gain herd immunity. What I’m suggesting is that we gather as much information about the Sencha radiation as possible, active Sencha radiation, and expose our system to that raw data in increments in a simulated program. Over time, the computer acclimates, and can detect both the radiation, and the side effects. We’d be able to detect strong surges in Sencha radiation within a matter of days if we have multiple people working on it.
Zh'taan: We could also examine the data collected by the infirmary. The medical staff must have treated many people who were exposed to the radiation, they should have information in their database that we do not have.
He couldn't help but smile as the two junior officers bounced off one another, their excitement at brainstorming a solution obvious and joyful. He found their enthusiasm infectious but years and dozens of broken bones added a measure of caution to his smile.
Niac: Alright alright...just for a second lets pretend I agree to authorize this...reconnaissance. How exactly do you intend to proceed? How would you confirm your findings? Lastly, and most importantly...how would you get back out once you're done?
Kel: Response
Wren: Well, we’d still need that raw data, which means… I think that a trip into Alliance territory might be necessary to see if there is another reactor. oO Don’t overstep here, Della. Oo We need to see Sencha radiation actively in use. If they’ve built another reactor, then we could gather as much as we need just by observing.
Zh'taan: ::Turns toward Kel:: We should perhaps examine what the ship’s probes collected when the Ronin first arrived in the system and the incident with Captain Niac occurred. That might allow us to detect other similar anomalies?
Both suggestions made sense and were logical jumping off points before they could plan their little incursion.
Niac: I've tried looking through that sensor data myself but it's...well, a mess. It may be enough to give you a baseline...or at least an idea of what to look for. Otherwise you'll just be wandering around in the dark in a very small ship.
Kel/Wren: Response
Zh'taan: Yes, and with all this information, we will be able to better prepare ourselves to enter Alliance territory.
Karrod chuckled and crossed his arms.
Niac: If I happen to authorize this little excursion, Ensign. You still haven't told me the most important part of the plan...the part where you come back in one piece.
Kel/Wren: Response
Zh'taan: However, we must not forget that this radiation can prevent warp travel. If we are to travel into Alliance territory, we must be sure we can leave quickly. I can try to work on a solution if you wish. ::He turns toward Kel::
He considered it for a moment longer and nodded towards V'Len.
Niac: We can have Major Singh and a few of her pilots shadow you from a distance...it won't be much protection but it will be low profile...they can loiter nearby and be there in a few minutes if you find yourself dealing with something the Foxy Lady can't quite handle.
Kel/Wren/Zh'taan: Response
Karrod chuckled and nodded.
Niac: Fine, you've convinced me...to consider this.
He turned his attention towards V'Len.
Niac: Put together a plan. Work with Major Singh and Chief Kessler, I want contingencies and backups for those contingencies before I'm going to let you take the Foxy anywhere near something like that.
He gestured towards a nearby screen and its rippling visualization of the subspace rift they'd barely stabilized.
Niac: And you two.
He turned his attention towards Ensigns Zh'taan and Wren.
Niac: Be sure you understand what you're signing up for if you want a place on this mission. You'll be in open space, far from support, in a ship that is far less capable than even a runabout...but if you're convinced it can be done and you can show me a reasonable chance of making it back alive...I'll authorize it. If Mr. Kel here agrees, that is. This is his idea...that makes it his mission and that means he chooses the team.
Kel/Wren/Zh'taan: Response
Karrod nodded to them and turned for the door but stopped and turned his attention back to them before leaving.
Niac: Don't make me regret this...I'd hate to lose you V'Len...or two very promising junior officers. I'll expect that mission plan on my desk...if you can find a spot for it...tomorrow.
Kel/Wren/Zh'taan: Response
He smiled to himself as he headed through the door, leaving them to their excited brainstorming as he began to mentally compose a message to Starfleet Security that would cut through the typical layers of bureaucracy. Dismissing his first few ideas out of hand he instead spoke to the air as he stepped into the turbolift.
Niac: =/\= Computer, setup a encrypted subspace channel to Deep Space Thirty Three, authorization Niac Echo Papa Six Zero Seven. Priority One. =/\=
The computer began working on his request as the doors hissed closed...by the time he got to the Ready Room and the channel was open, he'd be ready.
[Tags/End Scene for Niac!]
================================
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
Niac: I mean, do you think they harvested enough of this extra-universal material to try this again somewhere else? Somewhere deeper in their territory where we wouldn't know about it until they were successful or until there was a big hole in subspace where our galaxy used to be.
Zh'taan: I don’t have all the information on this subject. ::He briefly glanced at V'len:: But from what I saw on Moon Sigma, the Romulan technology used was rather outdated. I think they could make do with older, even abandoned complexes to deploy their technology.
Kel: Could we detect such a facility? When we entered the system there was nothing unusual until the Kurosawa arrived and that lid blew off.
Wren: The system didn’t even register the temporal eddies until it was too late. That’s why we thought for so long that…. Well....
Karrod saw the dark look pass over Ensign Wren's face as her words faltered, not needing further explanation.
Niac: Understood...so we're not in a position to detect this from a distance...we'll need to put something together for Starfleet, get every probe and subspace monitoring station in the region in on the search.
Zh'taan: I would recommend that we store the results of the anomaly signature analysis and compare them with the Starfleet database. It might allow us to detect other sites with similar characteristics… I think.
Kel: Good thinking Ensign. We could also use the sensor array Starfleet has placed in the Alpha Isles, see if we can detect anything.
Another look passed across Ensign Wren's features but this time it was one of consideration, the gears of her mind visibly turning.
Niac: Agreed, I'll make sure it's considered top priority. With your analysis of the damage this was doing to subspace accompanying it I'm confident Starfleet Security won't drag their feet.
Kel: What about the Argus Array? Could we aim that at Alliance Territory? See what it sees?
Wren: That might help, but that wouldn’t work for every ship. This all happened in our territory, not theirs, which means there’s a risk of multiple ships encountering it at once.
Zh'taan: But for now, no other incident like ours has been recorded in the database. There is still a small chance that what happened in the Ross-580 system was an isolated case.
Nodding, he considered the strategic picture as much as he could. Thankfully the xenophobic nature of the Alliance's two key members, the Tholians and the Sheliak, meant they didn't share often or freely with others.
Niac: I think you're both right...we're going to get the word out and I'm confident the larger fleet, stretched thin as it still is, will be able to keep a weather eye out...but it's ultimately going to be on the Ronin to deal with this if the Alliance makes another attempt.
Kel: What about a covert mission into Alliance Territory? See what we can find? I could get Kos to lend me the Foxy Lady. It's an unassuming freighter, perfect for something like this.
It wasn't a suggestion that Karrod had expected and his first instinct was to deny the request but the eager, determined looks on the faces around him gave him pause and he found himself considering it more seriously.
Zh'taan: That would allow us to gather enough data to complete our database!
Much as he appreciated the enthusiasm Karrod pursed his lips, concerned not only for his people...but for his nagging sense of responsibility for the whole problem. Within Niac, Sencha all but writhed in frustration.
Niac: The Lady might be non-descript but it's also a...and with all respect to Kos...a rusty bucket of a thing. If you get in trouble out there V'Len...if you run across anything from an asteroid with an attitude up to a Consortium cruiser we're not going to be in a position to support you.
Kel: I've done this sort of thing before Karrod it's nothing new to me. If the Alliance is building other reactors like this Starfleet needs to know.
Wren: ::thinking back to her childhood anatomy lessons:: What if we created a sensor that could detect Sencha radiation like it’s a virus?
Zh'taan: That’s a good idea, the radiation should be easily detectable by medical sensors given the effects it has on certain organisms.
Karrod paused, his thoughts suddenly going sideways as Sencha took the proverbial reins once again.
Niac: I never...::he jabbed at his gut and regained himself before starting over:: Sencha never considered applying that kind of...diagnostic approach...to detecting this form of radiation. She wasn't a biologist or a medical doctor and none of this...::He sighed as he gestured towards their findings on the weapon::...was part of what she intended. Do you really think it could work?
Kel: Response
Wren: I’ve been through the records of what we know about the radiation, and Starfleet computers simply don’t have enough data to properly recognize what it’s detecting. It’s like suddenly exposing a population to a completely alien pathogen. Sometimes there are survivors, but what usually happens is the population is quickly killed because their bodies have no frame of reference for what they’re fighting.
He nodded, encouraging her to continue as he mulled it all over.
Niac: Go on Ensign, you've got me interested.
Kel: Response
Zh'taan: And this radiation can “contaminate” both people and equipment.
Wren: ::Talking a little faster now:: Exactly. But when a population is slowly acclimated to the pathogen over a long period of time, eventually they gain herd immunity. What I’m suggesting is that we gather as much information about the Sencha radiation as possible, active Sencha radiation, and expose our system to that raw data in increments in a simulated program. Over time, the computer acclimates, and can detect both the radiation, and the side effects. We’d be able to detect strong surges in Sencha radiation within a matter of days if we have multiple people working on it.
Zh'taan: We could also examine the data collected by the infirmary. The medical staff must have treated many people who were exposed to the radiation, they should have information in their database that we do not have.
He couldn't help but smile as the two junior officers bounced off one another, their excitement at brainstorming a solution obvious and joyful. He found their enthusiasm infectious but years and dozens of broken bones added a measure of caution to his smile.
Niac: Alright alright...just for a second lets pretend I agree to authorize this...reconnaissance. How exactly do you intend to proceed? How would you confirm your findings? Lastly, and most importantly...how would you get back out once you're done?
Kel: Response
Wren: Well, we’d still need that raw data, which means… I think that a trip into Alliance territory might be necessary to see if there is another reactor. oO Don’t overstep here, Della. Oo We need to see Sencha radiation actively in use. If they’ve built another reactor, then we could gather as much as we need just by observing.
Zh'taan: ::Turns toward Kel:: We should perhaps examine what the ship’s probes collected when the Ronin first arrived in the system and the incident with Captain Niac occurred. That might allow us to detect other similar anomalies?
Both suggestions made sense and were logical jumping off points before they could plan their little incursion.
Niac: I've tried looking through that sensor data myself but it's...well, a mess. It may be enough to give you a baseline...or at least an idea of what to look for. Otherwise you'll just be wandering around in the dark in a very small ship.
Kel/Wren: Response
Zh'taan: Yes, and with all this information, we will be able to better prepare ourselves to enter Alliance territory.
Karrod chuckled and crossed his arms.
Niac: If I happen to authorize this little excursion, Ensign. You still haven't told me the most important part of the plan...the part where you come back in one piece.
Kel/Wren: Response
Zh'taan: However, we must not forget that this radiation can prevent warp travel. If we are to travel into Alliance territory, we must be sure we can leave quickly. I can try to work on a solution if you wish. ::He turns toward Kel::
He considered it for a moment longer and nodded towards V'Len.
Niac: We can have Major Singh and a few of her pilots shadow you from a distance...it won't be much protection but it will be low profile...they can loiter nearby and be there in a few minutes if you find yourself dealing with something the Foxy Lady can't quite handle.
Kel/Wren/Zh'taan: Response
Karrod chuckled and nodded.
Niac: Fine, you've convinced me...to consider this.
He turned his attention towards V'Len.
Niac: Put together a plan. Work with Major Singh and Chief Kessler, I want contingencies and backups for those contingencies before I'm going to let you take the Foxy anywhere near something like that.
He gestured towards a nearby screen and its rippling visualization of the subspace rift they'd barely stabilized.
Niac: And you two.
He turned his attention towards Ensigns Zh'taan and Wren.
Niac: Be sure you understand what you're signing up for if you want a place on this mission. You'll be in open space, far from support, in a ship that is far less capable than even a runabout...but if you're convinced it can be done and you can show me a reasonable chance of making it back alive...I'll authorize it. If Mr. Kel here agrees, that is. This is his idea...that makes it his mission and that means he chooses the team.
Kel/Wren/Zh'taan: Response
Karrod nodded to them and turned for the door but stopped and turned his attention back to them before leaving.
Niac: Don't make me regret this...I'd hate to lose you V'Len...or two very promising junior officers. I'll expect that mission plan on my desk...if you can find a spot for it...tomorrow.
Kel/Wren/Zh'taan: Response
He smiled to himself as he headed through the door, leaving them to their excited brainstorming as he began to mentally compose a message to Starfleet Security that would cut through the typical layers of bureaucracy. Dismissing his first few ideas out of hand he instead spoke to the air as he stepped into the turbolift.
Niac: =/\= Computer, setup a encrypted subspace channel to Deep Space Thirty Three, authorization Niac Echo Papa Six Zero Seven. Priority One. =/\=
The computer began working on his request as the doors hissed closed...by the time he got to the Ready Room and the channel was open, he'd be ready.
[Tags/End Scene for Niac!]
================================
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
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