Ensign Vaysha Lennai - This Is Getting Out of Hand, Now There Are.. A Lot of Them!

[Vaysha]

(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Valkyrie-A ))

Aleron: They seem to be letting us depart. Maybe they just don’t want us here. :: she decided to play a hunch, as the humans called it, although she was certain one or more of her officers would say something about it later. :: Helm, set a course for deeper into the sector. Let’s see if they’re really letting us leave or not.

Lennai: Yes, Captain.

Vaysha began to quickly tap away at a few commands on her console, rerouting power to engines and swiveling the ship smoothly to change direction. She ran some rough triangulations in her head first and then backed it up with the data on her screen to chart a course deeper into the sector as requested. As she was doing so, her brow furrowed and her mind raced on who -- or what -- this ship could possibly be. 

oO This is a bit intense. Oo

T’Ama: Captain?

Aleron: As the humans say, T’Ama, I am playing a hunch.

T’Ama: I thought humans followed hunches.

Lennai: I believe they 'have' hunches. ::Very long pause.:: S-Sirs. 

oO Why did I say that? Oo Her heart sunk for a moment, but fortunately someone else immediately began talking to cover up the embarrassment she felt. Vaysha immediately got back to work, hunching forward over the console to pull up some additional sensor readings.

Aleron: I want to see if they’re really letting us go, or if they just want us to go back where we came from.

T’Ama: It is possible they don’t realize we’ve spotted them.

Lennai: Continuing our route. Keeping an eye out for any changes.

The ship was smooth sailing, going further and further into the sector. However, out in front of them, a new ship appeared in front of the chartered course and flight path. This caused Vaysha to wince, almost reflexively moving the ship out of the way. However, she learned from before, and listened to her Captain.

oO What is with these ships? Oo

Aleron: Helm, alter course zero-zero-six mark zero relative.

Lennai: On it now, Captain. 

Her posture straightened as she began to turn the ship again, smooth as butter. As expected from a ship of the Valkyrie-A's class. Unfortunately, there was another ship that appeared out in front of them. A different one, same as the last. It was all very bizarre. 

Aleron: Alter course again, Ensign. Continue trying to take us deeper in.

Lennai: I will try to evade, Captain. I worry about the sheer amount of them though, it feels like posturing to me. 

T’Ama: They are definitely revealing themselves to us now, and even if they thought they were still invisible the way we are changing headings would lead them to conclude we can detect them.

Is’Kah: Captain, I still cannot cut through whatever interference is preventing us from detecting those cloaked ships. However, using the navigation sensors, I believe I have found a way to estimate a location.

T’Ama: At this rate we just need to point the ship in a direction and one will appear.

Aleron: So, they are trying to herd us, then.

oO Herd us? Why would they do that, other than to blow us to smithereens? Oo

Lennai: But where? 

Before her admittedly silly question (one without a knowable answer) could be 'answered', Lieutenant Is'Kah spoke up once more. 

Is’Kah: Every star emits a high speed stream of charged particles from its corona. Where this ends marks the boundary of a solar system. However, we can detect the charged electrons and protons, allowing us to detect where they do not behave in a straight line, much like the wake of an ocean-going vessel.

T’Ama: Right…

Lennai: Interesting, let me examine that.

Vaysha began to check external sensor readings that one might overlook a bit more readily in comparison to most sensors. Her findings paralleled what Is'Kah spoke of.  

Is’Kah: As you can see, the ionized electrons are not behaving in a straight line, mixing instead. If we add in the disturbances of the heavier ions, such as helium and oxygen, it appears to confirm my theory. If someone could please confirm my work, I’ve been known to make math errors lately.

T’Ama: Computer, please double check Lieutenant Is’Kah’s work.

Computer: Lieutenant Is’Kah’s work is theoretically sound.

T’Ama: Implement the solar wake algorithm on the sensors.

Aleron: Good work, Is’Kah. My only question is this. Are these readings being affected by whatever is affecting our sensors, or have you managed to compensate for the effect?

Lennai: I will have that algorithm online in just a moment. 

Is’Kah: Response

Vaysha put in the solar wake algorithm into her console and then submitted it. On the viewscreen, there were multiple contacts, some larger than the others. They’d given Stillwater a wide berth, but the ships seemed to be moving to try and blockade them.

T’Ama: They do seem intent on blockading us from proceeding.

Aleron: Indeed, Number One. I suppose we should try hailing them and seeing if we can’t come to some sort of agreement.

Lennai: It would certainly help if they would communicate with us. Is there any way we can pry more information from them non-verbally?

Is’Kah: Response

T’Ama: Perhaps we should do some maneuvers to see how responsive they are?

Lennai: I could do that, certainly.

 Is’Kah: Response

Aleron: Agree, Number One. Ensign Lennai, exercise tactical maneuvers at your discretion. Is’Kah, monitor their responses and report.

Is’Kah: Response

Lennai: Entering limited manual-assisted controls.

Vaysha rested a hand lightly on the manual controls, easing the ship out of autopilot. She began guiding the vessel into a gentle roll as nearby stars drifted across the viewport. The engines responded with a soft hum as they nudged the thrusters, testing the ship’s balance within its flight envelope -- nothing dramatic, just a smooth arc to port and a slight climb. It was the kind of flying Vaysha enjoyed most -- small corrections, quiet precision.

Aleron: Number One, does it appear to you that they are blocking our progress deeper into the sector, but not toward Stillwater or the Par’tha Expanse?

Reviewing the data the Captain spoke of, she placed the ship back under computer controls. 

T’Ama: Response

Lennai: Leaving manual controls, resuming previous course and making small adjustments to avoid collision with unidentified vessels. 

Is’Kah: Response

Aleron: Recommendations?

T’Ama: Response

As the discussion continued, Vaysha rubbed her brow and kept looking back and forth at the data that was propping up with the addition of the solar wake algorithm. Something about it struck her as odd, and it was only until now that she noticed what it was. 

Lennai: Captain, if I may. The sensor readings on the new algorithm we implemented are showing additional datasets. ::Typing on console.:: If you look at this isolated scan I pulled up, you can clearly see that the energy runoff from the cloaking device they are using is using an incredible amount of energy. I don't think it's possible for them to stay in pursuit of us and stay cloaked for as long as they have been. 

As she spoke, Vaysha did indeed send the data directly to the Captain's console. It showcased incredible energy-readings that highlighted that either the ships had impossibly precise and efficient reactors, or that her other 'hunch' was correct. Or a secret third thing. 

Is’Kah: Response

Aleron/T'Ama: Responses

Lennai: Yes, of course. That is to say, I think it is right to assume that every ship we have seen up until this point has been a completely unique and different vessel. We already know we've been outnumbered, but to this extent is.. ::Trailing off.:: Intense.

Is'Kah/Aleron/T'Ama: Responses

Lennai: Understood. I will commit to that now.

Is'Kah/Aleron/T'Ama: Responses

================
Ensign Vaysha Lennai
Helm Officer
USS Valkyrie-A, NCC-76418-A
D240105VL3