Posted by Lieutenant Pawl Batario (Chief Engineer) in Main Sim Engineering

Posted by Gamemaster Nosferatu (GM) in Main Sim Engineering
snip

From Tamm’s perspective, the connection changed as Pawl withdrew from the immediate activity of Engineering and concentrated more directly upon the Entity. Tamm perceived the effort immediately.

The barriers surrounding its consciousness strengthened—not replaced or reshaped, but reinforced. For a moment, the foreign presence pressing against them receded. The intrusive pattern remained, probing along the edges, searching for another path inward.

Across the connection came Tamm’s response. You strengthen what is mine.

Another harmonic pulse passed through the Chernov, and Tamm reacted differently this time. Instead of merely resisting the intrusion, its own resonance shifted around the foreign pattern, attempting to isolate it from whatever lay deeper within.

Then came a sudden impression through Pawl’s connection: recognition. It has touched me before. The foreign presence withdrew sharply, but did not disappear. It came from the other vessel.

Tamm’s presence steadied around Pawl’s reinforcement. It will try again.

Gamemaster Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Pawl knew well that Tamm was right. Another attempt is coming soon. Pawl thought to himself. ~”I hate to use my powers for an attack action, but at times there is no other choice.”~ Pawl sighed hard. ~”Yes, I have strengthened what was yours your important to me. I will protect you, Tamm.”~ Pawl said with determination through the link. Pawl took a moment to focus and refocus his mind and powers so that whatever he did would not harm Tamm, but would protect him. ~”And will attempt to trap the intruder. “~ Pawl let Tamm know exactly what he was doing so there were no surprises. Pawl opened his mind to Tamm with no barriers. none. Pawl knew this would be a special gesture on his part. To show his trust and honesty in his words and intentions, and to show that he was not hiding any ulterior motives. He was loyal to his friends. And Tamm was not an exception. It did not matter if it was a newly formed relationship.

Lt. Commander Pawl Batario
Chief_Engineer Officer Uss_Chernov

Tamm perceived Pawl’s intentions through the connection, including the deliberate lowering of the barriers around his own mind. For several moments, the Entity remained silent, its presence steady against the reinforced boundaries Pawl had helped establish.

Then a thought moved through the link. Your trust is understood. But you need not leave yourself unguarded to prove it. Tamm’s awareness shifted, following the lingering trace of the foreign presence back toward its source. The sensation carried with it something more tangible than before—a faint awareness of the beings responsible.

The contacts from the other vessel remain aboard the derelict. They are contained.The impression sharpened, allowing Pawl to understand what Tamm perceived. A barrier surrounds them. A forcefield. They cannot reach me from where they are.

Yet the alien presence that had touched Tamm remained distinct from the physical contacts themselves. Its residue still lingered along the edges of Tamm’s consciousness.
But what touched me was able to reach beyond that barrier. The forcefield contains their bodies. I do not believe it contains this. Tamm tightened its own defenses around the remaining trace.

If it returns, we will recognize it. Then we may trap it together.

Gamemaster Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

From the bridge the Captain’s voice came, =^=Batario, reinforce the Chernov’s structural fields and bring shields to standby. Do not raise them unless I order it. I want the ship ready, not advertising that we’re ready.=^=

Pawl took in all the information from Tamm. =^=The intruders are contained for now.=^=~Pawl said calmly to the open connection to the bridge. and Pawl placed barriers up to prevent the intruders from trying to reach him. Pawl told Tamm through the link. ~”I am here whenever you need me to help. ~”I wanted to make sure the trust was there with you; I did not want to assume anything.”~ Pawl said kindly.

Lt. Commander Pawl Batario
Chief_Engineer Officer Uss_Chernov

OOC: Please note to use =^= when you are speaking over comms so it is easier to see and cross post to the persons thread you are speaking too.:)

The harmonic pulse reached the Chernov almost simultaneously with the first shield impact. Engineering displays erupted with warnings. The structural fields compensated automatically, but something else was happening beneath the obvious attack. The same signal Engineering had been correlating with Tamm, the derelict and the unknown vessel had changed dramatically.

It was no longer probing but was forcing its way through. A technician stared at the diagnostic display. “Signal intensity just tripled!”

The pattern moved across the Chernov’s systems, testing pathways through communications, sensors and transporter control. Automated security protocols isolated the affected subsystems before the signal could establish itself.

Then another alarm sounded. “Transporter grid!”

The technician transferred the data to the main Engineering display. The harmonic pulses that had previously produced brief transporter stabilization windows aboard the derelict were now doing something very different. Each pulse was creating a momentary targeting solution through the surrounding interference.

Someone else was exploiting those windows and a transporter signature began forming. Not aboard the derelict but aboard the Chernov! The computer immediately rejected the unauthorized transport attempt, but the pattern returned seconds later from another location. Then another. The unknown vessel was systematically testing the Chernov’s defenses, searching for somewhere it could penetrate the ship. Across Engineering, another harmonic pulse registered. This one was stronger as the next transport attempt had already begun.

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare