Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Quentin “Q” Dawson (Chief Weapons Officer) in Cloaking exercises

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Kastarak (First Officer / Navigation Officer) in Cloaking exercises

Posted by Captain Chris Taggart (Commanding Officer) in Cloaking exercises
Posted by… suppressed (22) by the Post Ghost! 👻
While the Chernov was now long gone from the Sol system, it would still be in Federation space for a while. Now was the time to test the Romulan cloaking technology for the first time since it was installed on Saturn’s moon Titan.

Would the team be up to it? Kastarak gathered the tagged officers on the Bridge for the necessary exercises, while the captain had his medico-engineering appointment. It was just after lunch, so the team should be arriving shortly.

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“Commander. I think we are ready to get the cloaking device online and give it a test run sir. Per simulations sir it checks out that it will work perfectly for us.” She said. Explaining it to the commander and handing the pad to him.

Lieutenant Lovejoy

“Good to have you here, Ms Lovejoy,” said Kastarak. Remembering how he felt about her with regard to Pawl, he saw the opportunity to pry a bit more. “How have you been lately? It’s been a while since we last spoke.”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“I’m well sir. And I know it’s been a while.” She said with a little confusion going on. Not knowing what is going to happen.

Lieutenant Lovejoy

Kastarak noticed the confusion in Lovejoy, but could not determine why she was confused.

“I notice that you seem confused. How can I help you?”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“I’m sorry sir. I’m just not used to doing things without my department head so much. But it’s okay really. There’s nothing to worry about.” She said.

Lieutenant Lovejoy

Kastarak’s concern grew out of Lovejoy’s answer. “Tell me more, I wish to understand you better. Please explain what you mean.”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“Sir. With all due respect does this entitle to how I feel about Chief Batario? If so do tell me.” She said with a more not so confused but more disappointed.

Lieutenant Lovejoy

Kastarak noticed clearly the disappointment in Ms Lovejoy. He did not understand what was going on, but her reaction made him more inquisitive.

“I did not know what you meant, which is why I asked you to clarify. Why are you bringing about Mr Batario? I sense disappointment in you. What is the problem?”

His tone was his usual Vulcan tone. He raised an eyebrow, his right, at the end of his question.

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“Well as a Vulcan you of all people should know how people like myself should feel. I mean let alone I am a Betazoid. But nevermind. However, I do sense something conflicting you sir. I don’t mean to pry but I feel like it’s something that I have towards him or said something to him that he brought up to you and made you feel uneasy or more at ease. I’m not sure cause you of all people have their emotions bottled up.” She said.

Lieutenant Lovejoy

Nothing that Lovejoy said made any sense to Kastarak. The more the conversation lingered, the more emotional and distressed Lovejoy seemed. And she seemed to project it against Kastarak.

“Lieutenant, I did not bring Mr Batario up. I am asking why you are bringing him up. I am your superior officer and it is my duty to ensure you have a good working environment, under me as well as under Mr Batario. However, I sense you are at a heightened emotional state at this moment. Are you emotionally fit to work?”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“As matter of fact I am sir. The reason why I brought him up is because I can tell that your feelings for him is the reason why your questioning my ability to do my job and my duty. Let alone, I have felt that you might be a little upset with me only because I might’ve ended up you know flirting with him.” She said confronting him.

Lieutenant Lovejoy.

Kastarak took a second to process all that Lovejoy had said. In his view, Lovejoy acted irrationally and showed a personal vendetta against him. She was emotionally compromised. She had no reason to bring up his feelings about Mr Batario. He had not brought Batario up. She assumed things and acted in an irresponsible and unprofessional way. It was clear that his earlier question of whether Ms Lovejoy was emotionally fir for work today was valid. In his view, she was not.

He then spoke.

“Ms Lovejoy, you are out of line. You are relieved from duty for the rest of the day for reasons of being emotionally compromised in the line of duty. Report to Mr Batario for the start of your next shift. Until then, regulate yourself. Rest, do some exercise, eat well, relax, meditate. Seek medical assistance if necessary.”

He signalled for her to leave the Bridge.

“Dismissed.”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“Yes sir. I appreciate it sir.” As she left the bridge and not saying anything else and walks off. She then decides to stay in her quarters until she thinks she’s ready to leave and stays there.

Lieutenant Lovejoy

Dawson came in just as Lt. Lovejoy was leaving. She seemed upset over something. He then looked in and saw Kastarak and thought he saw something in his face as well, though it was difficult to discern with Vulcans. “Did I miss something?” He asked moving towards the first officer, “Isn’t the Lieutenant meant to be at the helm? Where is she going?”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

Kastarak was of double minds about Dawson coming now. On one hand, Kastarak would have appreciated having Dawson as support in that interaction. On the other, it was a matter wholly between him and Lovejoy.

“She is off duty today for medical reasons. I trust she will be well enough tomorrow.”

He didn’t want to talk more about that.

“It is agreeable that you are here. We need to test our security and weapons systems while under cloak. How do you recommend we proceed?”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

Dawson gave Kastarak a raised eyebrow but didn’t press it. He gave a sigh and started to look over the tactical console, “Well,” He started, “From my research, neither Romulans nor Klingons have been able to use their weapons systems while cloaked. This is generally due to the amount of power that cloaking technology takes from a ship. Basically, the ship has to choose between shields and weapons or cloaking. When Pawl gets here, I’ll want to go over the engine capacity and see if perhaps the Chernov could handle both cloaking and firing, but I wouldn’t want to test it until I conferred with him, especially with us just coming out of repairs.” Dawson stod back from the console, thinking.

“If we can’t fire when cloaked, our plans of attack are going to be centered around getting close undetected, and then having weapons on ready stand by to fire immediately when decloaked. We’ll want to run drills to ensure that timely readiness of personnel and systems.”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

“Prudent,” said Kastarak. He hadn’t thought about inviting Batario to the meeting, but Dawson’s argument was persuasive. “I will ask Lt Batario to join us as soon as he’s available.”

Kastarak went to the nearest console.

“Bridge to Lieutenant Batario. Please report to the Bridge,” he said in his simple, emotionless voice. Deep in his heart, however, he wanted Pawl to come quickly.

He turned to Dawson again. There was a slight sparkle in Kastarak’s eyes.

“Let’s cloak the ship now and test that, before we venture further.” Kastarak realized that so far the ship had never been fully cloaked, only in simlation…

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

Clipping in Dawson’s post:

Dawson gave a quick nod and began to activate the cloak. He was genuinely impressed by how Pawl and his team had integrated the cloaking tech into their systems. If the device itself worked as simulated, then the consoles seemed to offer a smooth transition into cloaking. When the cloak is established, it would be good to have Pawl take a look at the power drain the technology was having on the ship and see what they had access to and what their limitations were. Did they have weapons? Shields? Was their warp speed limited? These are all crucial questions that Dawson needed answers to in order to develop appropriate tactics.

“Cloaking device engaged.” Dawson said, “Do we have any initial readings to confirm cloaking? Anything on power levels?” Dawson thought about the level of faith Klingons and Romulans had in their cloaks and sensors. If he had though fighting against cloaked ships was bad, being in one was just as nerve-racking. Everything around him was still plainly visible, and he had no way to see with his own eyes if the device worked, or if they were just sitting out in space for any and all to see.

“I sir on my way!” he acknowledged the call. As he moved towards the lift. as the doors opened to an empty car he entered as he grabbed the handle. “bridge.” The doors closed as the lift moved to its destination. He kept quiet on the ride up. The lift came to a stop and the doors opened he calmly exited the lift. “Lt Jg Pawl Batario reporting as ordered sir/” as he stood outside the lift as the doors closed behind him.

[[Lt_Jg ]] [[Pawl Batario]]
[[Chief_Engineer]] [[Uss_Chernov]]

Just as Dawson finished his question, Pawl reported for duty. Kastarak was impressed with the speed of Pawl’s run up to the Bridge. Why was Pawl so eager to come so quickly? Was it because of Kastarak? He didn’t dare ask himself the question even. He quickly purged all feelings, for now…

“Mr Batario,” Kastarak turned to Pawl with a formal demeanour. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

William had just returned to the bridge in time to see the altercation between Kastarak and Lovejoy. He had only been giving it part of his attention until she was dismissed. He hadn’t interfered and wouldn’t, not on the bridge but words would have to be had. He stood up from his console and walked to the central bridge area “The simulations are promising” He said in his usual neutral tone “Chief Batario does good work so I doubt we’ll have major malfunctions for our first try”

CSO, 2O

“Gentlemen”, Kastarak turned to the others, “I believe these data are not simulations, but actual data. It does look like we are cloaked. But what would be the best way for us to confirm it, other than looking at these data?”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

“What if we sent a probe specifically to scan to see if it can see us? If we set it with the right parameters, it could tell us if it sees we are in the system, even though it already should know where we are so it can return to us?” Lt. Valharra asked, hoping what he was suggesting made sense to someone.
Lt Valharra, Security

“Am excellent idea Mr. Valharra! I actually didn’t think of that!” Chris said as he walked back in forcing his fingers on his belly assembled bionic arm. “And we also have The Constitution here so let’s see if the they can see us and move around periodically. I want to be sure all this works before we go into Klingon space. And don’t worry. I’ve talked to the Captain of the Constitution and she’ll keep our secret. Now let’s hear about all the data!”. He said with a smile and enthusiasm of a child walking into Toys r Us with a hundred dollar gift card.

Captain Chris Taggart CO

Kastarak agreed. There was a problem, however.

“While the Constitution will be able to see whether we can cloak or so, the data will not be ours but stored at their computers. It is possible, though unlikely, that the data – including that of our mission – might come in the wrong hands, like in Mr Malone’s. That said, the data from the Constitution may still be useful. Combining those data with that of our own probe’s allows us to compare the data, but, at the same time, ensure that we collect such data that we may need. And in the future, once outside the safety of Federation space, it may be useful to have initial probe data to compare with, should the cloaks malfunction and we need to test again.”

He paused.

“I speak as a trained science-physician. But gentlemen, particularly Mssrs Grey and Batario, have more understanding of this than I. Indeed, Mssrs Dawson and Valharra will have valuable insight too. I await your proposals for the best cause of action.”

Kastarak, Lt Cdr
First Officer and Navigations Officer

Dawson smiled at Valharra and said, “I think the probe idea could work. Might work even better if we sent someone out in a shuttlecraft. It can record data just as well as a probe and adds a visual component to the testing. Cloaking is not just for sensors, after all. Pawl,” Dawson turned to the engineer, “Do we have data on what systems are going to be offline due to the cloak’s added strain on the engines?”

Lt. Q Dawson, CWO

Chris nodded. “Good points from the both of you. Make it so and we’ll see. Anything else?” As he waited for Pawl to speak.

Captain Chris Taggart CO