Posted by Commander Ryder Raauhl (Executive Officer) in Main-Sim – Command Information Centre (CIC)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander GLaDOS (Chief Science Officer) in Main-Sim – Command Information Centre (CIC)

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Main-Sim – Command Information Centre (CIC)
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Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Ryder took his usual spot at the Situation table, he preferred to stand in the center of the room where he left like he had a better watch of the crew as they worked. “What the emergency?” He asked, but before anyone in the CIC could answer the viewscreen flickered to life again Admiral Curros’s face materialising.

“Captain Cobb, Commander Ryder it is good to see you both settling into your new role.” She appeared to be typing and next to her a visual of a civilian Antares type starship, “This is the S.S. Einstein its a privatized science vessel and was on it way back here with a Newton-type artifact with unknown properties, we received this distress signal one day ago”

“Newton, right,” Cobb could be heard muttering to himself, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out what appeared to be a laminated crib sheet. “Artifact or object. Well, it could have been worse.”

=^= ARU Command, this is Ronan Lloyd of the SS Einstein, the artifact is not dormant as originally believed we have taken refuge in the Paulson nebula several of our crew have started to display signs of extreme head trauma and in some cases paralysis. All attempts to block the radiation which seems to affect the hypothalamus have failed and I fear that I too have become infected. The first signs of contamination that appear within the first hour are bloodshot eyes and sometimes bleeding of the ear. Please send assistance.=^=

“And then we received this just eight hours later” She flicked her hand and another clip played this time more distorted.

=^=”HELP US! WHY HAVE YOU ABANDON US!” The captain of the Einstein could be seen his eyes completely red, dried crimson running form his eyes. “I am the last one left, DO NOT FALL ASLEEP! We have drifted too far into the nebula and I fear we have been boarded! DO NOT FALL ASLEEP!”=^= the message stopped.

“All previous attempts to contact the ship have failed and now we’re sending you.” She held up a dainty hand to stop any protests. “I know your ship is still undergoing refit but I am told by the task force engineering chief that your ship will be ready by the time you reach the Einstein, all resources will be loaded to your ship with a small engineering team, continue the refit in transit.” She gave a small nod, “You are to leave immediately, recall your crew, report back what happened to the Einstien., and ensure you recover the artifact your new containment systems are already operational. Do not dilly dally.”

“Wait, you’re sending us out after this thing and you want us to take a team of sparks with us?” Cobb began to protest at the notion of shipyard engineers being left on the vessel whilst in transit. “Don’t you think that’s asking a lot above their paygrade?”

(OOC: I wasn’t sure if the Admiral had more to say, so apologies if I’ve cut her off below and please feel free to add more here)

But the Admiral had already signed off, it seemed, so with a heavy sigh, Zachariah turned to his team and, rising to his feet, focused on each one of them in turn.

“Lt Commander GLaDOS,” he began, his blue eyes locking onto the CSO’s mechanical orb, “Have you ever encountered anything like this before? If so then I want a complete history of contact and capture and any pertinent discoveries that followed.”

“Newton-type, radiation that is difficult to block, bloodshot eyes and other symptoms catalogued…” GLaDOS spoke, sounding almost like the computer for a moment. “I will search the Database. I have not personally encountered anything of that nature, but if the ARU has encountered anything of that type, I will inform you when it is appropriate.”

“Lt Synthi-er,” he now turned to look at the woman by his side, “I’d like you to work with medical on this one. So far it seems we’re potentially dealing with internal bleeding, possible narcolepsy and, I think it would be fair to say, extreme paranoia? Draw up a diagnosis and, on the offchance that there might still be survivors, a treatment plan.”

Then finally climbing down from his elevated platform to stand beside Commander Ryder, he sighed, “I don’t like the idea of these shipyard engineers being exposed once we reach the nebula. I mean,” he shrugged, “to tell the truth I don’t much relish the thought of any of us tangling with this thing. But the rest of us know what we’ve signed up for at least. Have Lt Hampton do what he can to keep them out of harm’s way, eh?”

Having watched Cobb be tired, drunk and a miserable old soul Ryder had to admit the Captain certainly turned into quite the leader when he wanted to be, or when the time needed him to be in this case and perhaps why he had been chosen for this job. “I will go see Lieutenant Hampton and inform of our departure and put out a Starbase wide announcement to recall all ship personnel. Things are about to get interesting.”

So, that was it. Their first official mission. Moving to the centre of the room, Cobb once again studied each person present in turn then announced, “Questions, comments, concerns. I know you all have them so let’s hear ‘em.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Ryder standing opposite the captain shook his head, the Trill was a seasoned officer with four lifetimes of memories and experience, he knew how these things went. It was just their job now to make sure everything possible to be completed was just that before they arrived leaving, no bolt let unscrewed and no room left unchecked, he knew the capabilities of the Levi she was a fine ship if ever did one sat sail but the idea she was being plunged into some of Starfleet most backwater missions made him pause for concern.

• Cmdr Ryder, Xo

“Fenrir can be sent to retrieve the artifact, but he made need a special container if this thing is sending out radiation and who knows what else. If we can retrieve any files from the Einstein engineering might be able to make a container to make it safe to transport. We might want to call Marine Capt Manhattan up here, sir. His team will be responsible for going to get the artifact. I spoke with him earlier, he seems to have a level head on his shoulders and knows what he is doing.” Casela looked over at Lt. Cmdr. GLaDOS, this was her area of expertise. “I know Fenrir’s purpose is to pick these items up for us, but you’re the expert. What do I need to know so he can do that job?”
OOC: Okay so now what are our different clearances? For both ARU and security?
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS/KAI9 Handler

“At the moment, I have not completed my database search, but as soon as I have, I will let you know what information I have gleaned, once that information is gleaned. If the radiation primarily affects the hypothalamus, myself and Fenrir should be able to interact with it mostly unaffected. Unless it also affects computers. Although, given the captain’s ability to record messages and send them, I suspect that Federation tech is not as extremely affected as the mortal mind is.”

OOC: Your character can have whatever clearance you consider appropriate for them, but I’d imagine it roughly goes: CSO and Consultant Researcher (Abell level) at the top, then CO and XO next, then the other DH’s, then JO’s, then right at the bottom, our hard-working Novel Researchers.

IC: “Aye, we’ll assemble a meeting of the key crew players and get a plan worked out soon enough, Lieutenant,” Cobb agreed. It occurred to him in that moment, however, that whoever this RTF fella was, he had so far remained completely hidden from his new commanding officer. Curious.
“But if no-one has any further questions or concerns right now then I’d like you to go brief your teams on the situation and, senior officers, report back for a briefing at nineteen-hundred hours.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

OOC: I’ll start a new briefing thread for the senior officers

=======================================================================================

A while later after everyone had dispersed and after Ryder had made his trip to sickbay the trill moved to the communications console and cleared his throat he always did have a flair for the dramatics, patch em through to the starbase and shipwide comms. He waited moment as the NE nodded to signal he was being transmitted live across the ship and the starbase.

=^=General Quarters, General Quarters

“Leviathan personnel are to commence immediate boarding procedure, I repeat all Leviathan personnel are to commence immediate boarding procedure this is not a drill. Security personnel are to begin stowaway drills, Operations to begin boarding checks at all entrances, All hands secure stations and prepare for the immediate departure of Starbase 237” =^=

• Commander Ryder Raauhl

GLaDOS, CSO

---

“Sir” Ensign Michaels, the on duty helms officer turned to face the XO who was stood looking at the holographic tactical display situated in the center of the CIC. “We’re five minutes from dropping out of warp and arriving at the Paulson Nebula Sir.” The recently graduated cadet nodded with a smile before turning back to his console to finalise the calculations on their arrival.

“Very good, thankyou Ensign” Ryder said as he acknowledge the Ensigns update. Taking a moment to look around he could see that all of Bravo shift was working away at their relevant bridge duty stations, the overwatching clock above the view screen displayed the time in a purple hue, 18:33:23. The Trills hand raised slowly to his comm badge slowly, allowing himself the last few moments of normality. Ryder already knew today was going to be a long day.

=^=XO to the Captain, we’re approaching the Nebula and will be dropping out of warp shortly, you may want to join us in the CIC for this one. All Hands this is the XO we’re going to Yellow Alert Medical prepare for inbound casualties, department heads prepare a list of available crewmemebrs for away teams and prepare them for disembarkation. I say again, set Yellow alert through the ship.=^= The ship registered his command as the lighting to the CIC and typically the rest of the ship dsiplayed a Yellow symbol. With the last transmission as it was he wasn’t taking any risks.

• Commander Ryder, XO

So. This was it. For the last week he’d been able to convince himself, almost, that none of this was real. That they were just another exploration vessel heading out towards another Earth-like planet for some fun and relaxation and cultural bonding. But no longer could he afford to coddle himself, or his crew, in the fantasy of their former lives. Finally, they had arrived at their true destination. And things were about to get very real indeed.

Stepping onto the bridge, Cobb was uncharacteristically silent as he climbed up onto the gantry and into his captain’s chair. Gone was the often drunk, sometimes ornery man they had grown accustomed to over the last week. Now, every pore, every atom within Zachariah Cobb exuded calm and confidence and complete control.

“Helm, once we drop out of warp, I want us at a quarter impulse until we’re in range of the Einstein. Get as close as you can and then slip into a comfortable holding spot.”

Nodding to Ryder, Cobb muttered “Let’s do this, Commander,” then allowed his hands to dance over the seat’s control panels as he activated a series of comms calls:

=^= Engineering, we’re about to drop to impulse speeds so have the engines primed and ready. Be prepared for anomalous effects from the nebula or whatever might be inside it. Current ARU alert level is yellow so get a temporary force field up around the warp core and the deuterium tanks. Also, I want the containment vessel to be loaded and ready to go from ARU transporter two. =^=

=^= Medical, have both alpha and bravo sickbays on standby. Prepare bravo for any anomalous casualties. Level five containment protocols to be enforced. Lt Commander McHarrie can provide assistance with that. =^=

=^= Science, I want you to brief the away team on everything you’ve learned about the anomaly. Load all critical points to the RTF Operative personal terminals and I want a comms buddy system with all members of the away team. Once they enter the Einstein their ability to think on their feet might be heavily compromised so, I want you to be available to do those critical calculations for them. =^=

=^= Security, if you’re not part of the away team then I want postings at all priority one locations around the ship. Particularly the containment levels. The last thing we want is one of those bloody things getting loose while our focus is elsewhere. Also have a team posted at bravo sickbay to assist with any problematic patients. =^=

He paused and took a breath before making the final call. Whilst he still didn’t trust the RTF leader, Manhattan, he was only too aware of the situation the Captain was being asked to lead his team into. And for that, Zachariah did not envy him one bit.

=^= Recovery Task Force. Your Captain will brief you and the rest of the away team fully before you depart. The Leviathan will have your back and will be offering every measure of support that we can. I know that will be of small comfort as you set out upon this mission but just know that you will, each of you, remain our primary concern until you’re back onboard this ship. May the gods go with you. =^=

The deeds done, the Captain allowed his body to fall back into the chair. And for the briefest of moments, every mission, every loss, every nanosecond of pain and of torture and of desperate loneliness within the soul of Zachariah Cobb was etched indelibly across his face. But quickly it passed and the stoic mask was returned. And something else as well, a transient and tantalising glimpse of raw, unadulterated, humanity.

“Well, that’s that then,” he shrugged at Ryder, following it up with a grin. He was ready.

• Captain Zachariah Cobb