Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Mor (Chief Science Officer) in Away team: Trying to save the nanites

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Gavin Stacey (Chief Medical Officer) in Away team: Trying to save the nanites

Posted by Commodore Drudoc Andone (Commanding Officer) in Away team: Trying to save the nanites
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[snip]

The entrance to the cave was just all natural, but like NE Barns had said once they were 10+ feet within its hold and going lower comm contact went to 0, and tricorder scans were limited to merely 15-20ft or so. At first this was all due to natural various deposits. On any other colony these would be a wealth of mining for such, but the far more technology limited colony here limiting things to the 1800s or early 1900s usually meant such things weren’t needed nor of interest. As they got a good 100ft now underground through the twisting passages, following faint outlines of the 1st team, they came to a crack in the tunnel which blow far warmer artificial heat. Peering down they could see what seemed some kind of buried alien metal structure. This more then anything seemed to amplify the natural deposits interference. Likely some kind of earthquake or tremors in the recent month or two had opened this crack, and cracked open the alien metal giving access to its inside.

Dropping down the passage dead ended in a collapsed passage of rock and twisted metal to their left after 10 yards. Going right they reached a T junction, and following dusty foot traffic they came upon a half crushed laboratory room it seemed. In it they found the nanite enhanced wolves off to the right near a intact silver-green container that their limited scans confirmed were intact nanites. Another two canisters to their left showed damage and leaking, likely what had happened when the quake came rolling through. Given the animal mess in the area too likely the wolves had been making this their home before the bigger quake damaged the containers releasing the two containers of nanites, which unable to survive out of the tube took over the wolves.

Also present by a flickering console were the first away team lead by Luna, who it seems were trying to decide what to do with the red flickering console near the last intact tube.

GM CockRoach

Kaden did not want to startle Ensign Luna but needed to address who they were. He said to Luna, “Hi Ensign Luna. We are a new team to take a look at the last intact tube. I am trying to figure out if we can save the tube and figure out how to create more of these for the nanites. We were able to contact and speak with them aboard the Ark Angel and we found out this existed and needed to try and be saved. Is it alright if I take a look at it?” He then motioned over to Lt DeLaney to step up to the tube so he could help Kaden in determining if this was still able to be active and if they could create more of them. He then said to Lt DeLaney, “Can you help look over this device? We need to be able to make sure this keeps functioning and if possible, replicate more of them to help save the nanites.” He then pulled up his tricorder and started scanning the device to see the status and what might be needed to keep it functioning.

Lt., j.g. Buchanan Outgoing Chief Engineering Officer

Jon stepped into the room, marveling at the array of high-tech equipment. Without waiting to be asked, he got to work, using his tricorder to check the status of each console. The hum of machinery filled the air as he focused on his task.

He was so absorbed in his work that he barely noticed the others in the room until his predecessor spoke to him. “Already on it,” he replied, still focused on the machinery. With determination, he continued his examination, making sure everything was in top shape.

John The Chief

T’Mor followed closely behind and entered after the others,

“Have you found where they nanites are contained yet?” she asked allow to no one in particular.

T’Mor glance around the room to see Ensign Luna and the rest of the security team, Lieutenant Buchanan, and John. It took her a moment but she eventually noticed the wolves next to the containers. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed them. Cautiously, she skirted along the cave wall as she approached the leaking canister, putting as much space between her and then as possible.

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Chief Science Officer|

Scans and just general observation showed the two smashed containers were a lost cause, maybe if time was on their side they could scavenge some parts. But the last remaining container and its nearby control console were to put it frankly, minutes if not less from full on failure and loss. Power to the system which was somewhere buried in the collapsed structure far beyond their reach was failing at a frantitic rate. They did not really even have the time to fully scan or understand the parts to make productive fixes. Right now the only solution was to rig a seperate power source and do so quick.

As if to drive this home, a feeble beeping and whirring and mechanical voice from Luna’s comm badge, probably the nanites still in the container tube, spoke, =/\= H…help us....us us…help.=/\= It spoke obviously pained, and probably in some way fear such as it might be. The control console equally flashed dangerous silver-red colored alien languages. For the engineering minded, the simplest solution to jury rig a stable power source, would be to setup the power cells in three type-2 phaser packs. Using the ones from the NE’s would suffice, connecting these together should provide enough power from what they were quickly seeing to disconnect the last tube from the failing power network and stabilize the system for a few hours so they could then bring down emergency field power cells and perform deeper fixes or transport of the tube.

From a medical/scientific view, another option once the power was stabilized they could get a few of the local wildlife to become inhabited like the wolves were. Either way they had to solve the power issue like 20 minutes ago NOW, or they would loose the last of the tube based nanites.

GM CockRoach

Doctor Stacey immediately noticed the broken containers and picked up a sprint towards them with tricorder in hand. “I’m going to check to see if there’s anything left,” The CMO announced to the group as he began scanning the containers. Gavin was hoping to be able to save some, if any.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Gavin Stacey Chief Medical Officer

Lt., j.g. Buchanan Outgoing Chief Engineering Officer

Based on the information Kaden knew, he believed he could create a power supply good enough for the time being using 3 phasers power banks if they were put together. He knew there were a few security officers so he looked over at them and said, “Please hand over each of your phasers please? I need three. I believe I can create a temporary power supply using the power supplies for each of the phasers.” He then waited for the phases to be handed over.

While waiting on the other two, he began making some changes on his phases to have it ready to hook up with the other two when they were handed over. He knew time was of the essence so he begun making the changes while waiting on the other phasers.

Lt., j.g. Buchanan Outgoing Chief Engineering Officer

Buckingham moved over and joined Doctor Stacey. Buckingham held his tricorder and continued taking readings. “If you need any help Doctor, just say the word.” Thomas said, affirming his support and readiness to help.

Ensign Thomas Buckingham Medical Officer

Whilst Buchanan played with phasers Jon was accessing the alien computer having been drawn by them due to the red and silver flashing, perhaps if he could find something hidden inside and save them to his tricorder he could do some later research, maybe even try cohabiting with the annoyed themselves, though only for strictly engineering research purposes. He tapped the alien console and tried to see if any of the functions resembled any engineering data for him to download and translate later.

John The Chief

T’Mor meanwhile what focused on the exhaust coming out of the containers. There could be some hope of saving the nanites if they could chemically replicate the environment inside the tube. Like preparing the correct soil composition before a transplant. There was also the option to provide them with a suitable organic material to inhabit for the time being.

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor, Chief Science Officer|

Tak walked over to help T’Mor.

Ensign Tak Science Officer

Both NEs offered over their phasers to the chief engineer. As for the rest doing scans, nothing remained functional/alive in the broken tanks, they were either now most likely inside the wolves nearby, or had ceased functioning. Conversely analyzing the fluids they used, would no doubt take weeks or more to fully analyze, the tricorder could only pick up the basics right now, one part was simple water, another showed some kind of processed moss from the cave/ground, and then there was numerious chemicals and enzymes that were alien in nature it couldn’t identify.

GM CockRoach

Kaden took the two phasers and said, “Thank you.” He then started putting together the phasers in what he hoped would be enough to continue to power the container while they figure out what is needed in order to create more to house more of the population. After a few minutes, he finished combining the phasers and attempted to connect it to what appeared to be the power port on the machine. He was hoping it would work but you never knew, especially when dealing with new technology which not federation. He was hoping it would work.

Lt., j.g. Buchanan Outgoing Chief Engineering Officer

There was a brief click, then flicker and spark as the connection was made. But then the flickering control panel and fading light of the silver-green liquid in the last pod stabilized even rising some to a slightly brighter color tone. The console formerly a silver-red warning like color stabilized to a more simple silver-white tone with various blinking yellows and greens replacing dark red and flashing urgent red color tones. Scans showed the nourishment liquid inside the last pod was stable and the nanites had more stable power signals.

Finally the static and perhaps fearful toned nanite voice over the commbadge spoke, =/\= Thank you, strangers. Power is stable. Those of us that remain in stasis will not go quiet. =/\= It said. Obviously the UT was not 100% translating word for word, but it was close enough.

They could now communicate freely with the nanites if they so wished. As for a container likely moving them was outside the scope of their ability for now. The liquid alone would require weeks of study by more specialized teams of scientists and engineers then the Ark Angel had. The rigged up batteries though would give plenty of time for someone to go back up to the surface and update the Commodore on things and how to best proceed.

GM CockRoach

Gavin had found that the broken containers and the nanites couldn’t be salvaged and had returned to the group just as the nanites had finished speaking. The CMO didn’t know what else they could do to remedy the situation.

“That power source isn’t going to last much longer is it?” The Doc asked.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Gavin Stacey
Chief Medical Officer

T’Mor shook her head as a subtle sign of frustration, “It would take a dedicated science team a significant amount of time to analyze the environment inside the chambers, and likely even more time to successfully replicate it.” she reported.

“Nanite colony…” she started her her communication with them, “Apologies, I do not know what you wish to be called… The solution we have found for your power issue is temporary. Perhaps you may assist us in finding a more stable solution?”

T’Mor waited for their response with hidden anticipation.

|Lt., j.g. T’Mor,
Chief Science Officer|

“Someone should alert the Commodore,” Doctor Stacey stated to the rest of the team, “She’ll be able to call for a science vessel if the nanites aren’t able to come up with a quick fix.” Gavin was well aware that the nanites wouldn’t be able to patch themselves up on their own, though. The CMO felt useless for the moment. Had these been more corporeal, he would be able to assist more.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Gavin Stacey
Chief Medical Officer