Posted by Lieutenant Commander Teller Graham (Chief Science Officer) in Main Sim - Black Box

Posted by Ensign Tobias Rax (Science Officer) in Main Sim - Black Box

Posted by Gamemaster Rei (GMT) in Main Sim - Black Box
Posted by… suppressed (34) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Teller walked into the small lab that at times was shared with engineering and sciences. Normally it was overflow but today worked perfectly. Picking up a tricorder, Teller began to scan the box that the ship almost died getting.

Teller CSO

“What’s the deal with this thing, boss?” One of the on-duty Science NE’s asked as they moved to assist. “Sounds like someone started some pew-pew outside.” Considering the alert lights being red, it wasn’t much of a scientific deduction for the NE to make.

NE Phil Nye

“Well, I am hoping this box will give us some information about what happened to the ship. As you can see we aren’t the only people interested in this lead,” Teller gestured with a head nod to the red flashing lights.” Looking at the tricorder readouts, Graham waited to see what would appear on the screen.

Teller CSO

Charle -Louis was able to peer over into the laboratory from his station in engineering. Although he didn’t have a clear view of what was going on, knew it must have been important enough for Teller and Ensign Nye to be looking into during a red alert.

=^= Commander Teller, this is Charles-Louis from engineering. Conditions are stable here at my station. If you need additional assistance in the laboratory, I am available to help as well. =^=

[Charles-Louis, Engineering]

=/\= Charles-Louis, your help would be appreciated =/\=

“I think we might need to connect the box to the the computer via a hardline maybe?” Nye suggested to Teller. “Considering it was exposed to vacuum and whatever those particles are, maybe it needs a bit of a boost?” he said, while reaching out to touch the box they just beamed on board.

NE Phil Nye

“A second pair of hands or eyes would be helpful,” he commented to the voice on the other end of the comm.

Teller

The thing about a black box was that it was hard-wired, and virtually indestructible, meaning to survive in the event of a catastrophic failure so there was some kind of record as to what happened, a record of some kind.

The tricorder showed a little ambient ionization left over, but those levels were only barely above background radiation. Perfectly safe, with about as much radiation as one might have experienced flying on an airliner in the 21st century. The beacon showed up loud and strong. Registering Federation contact, the tricorder offered to shut off the disaster beacon.

With a little fiddling, they were able to link it to the lab’s computer.

There was a lot of data on ship’s systems, the modern equivalent of avionics information, as well as sensor readouts, and all paired up in real time with the voice recording on the bridge.

Rei

“So, what did we find in our petite boîte intéressante?” Charles said, entering the room. Though he did not wait for an answer, instead looking at the readout on a console.

“This is, presumably, data from the same ship as the one debris in the cargo bay belonged to, no?” That was an actual question. He looked through to see if any of the data lined up with the information they had before, as a way to confirm.

[Charles-Louis, Engineering]

Tapping the comm badge Teller reached out to the CO and XO on the bridge. =/\=Sir, the beacon is responding and sending a signal loud and clear as to where the ship is. If you want we can send you the coordinates if you choose to follow.=/\= This was the most important piece of information. Based on how command responded, Teller would work to gain other information from the box.

Teller CSO

((You do realize the ship .... no longer exists… as a single… coherent object, right? It’s wreckage and since it was destroyed in zero gravity when it exploded it scattered in a big cone over a long distance, like shrapnel in an over-sized shotgun blast. Also the ship is at warp and heading out of the system at this point, with two or three angry Cardassian ships in hot pursuit.))

Charles would see within a few moments some of the same data scrawling along the readouts when looking at the logs. Of course, there was more there, a lot more data to sift through, but this was indeed their prize and had a more complete record of the B’hari’s last hours and moments.

Rei

OOC: My bad.

Luke

((eh, it’s all good. The details are probably a bit fuzzy since this thing has been going on for a while. I apologize for coming off a little rough with my last.

Sam))

Charles looked through the information, entering his queries manually through the console. Given the situation, tactical information seemed the most important.

“If we can find out exactly how the B’hari was destroyed, perhaps we my escape a similar fate.” Charles narrated as he made the search,

“Even better is any information we can find about these enemy ships. It would be an advantage in our current battle.”

[Charles-Louis, Engineering]

Nicholas raised a brow and turned to the Ensign at Engineering. “They look pretty Cardassian to me,” The COS stated before turning his attention back to the ship’s sensors. The Engineer was correct though, they didn’t have all the details on why the black box was such a hot commodity for the Cardassians. LtJg Foster was hoping they would be able to find out without the Cardassians’ help.

“Cardassians are never just Cardassians,” Charles remarked, “That is to say… there is always more to their actions than first appears. And, given they are not afraid to fight dishonorably, we can use all the information we can get, no?”

Foster
COS

Teller looked at the data starting to come across the screen to see if he could make heads or tails of any of it.

Teller CSO

[Charles-Louis, Engineering]

The tactical data came up quickly, within a few moments the computer cobbled together the sensor data into a replay. The B’hari was drifting through the system at low impulse. They were taking survey data of the planetary bodies. Then a Cardassian style ship de-cloaked nearby. It was a Keldon-class. There was no warning. The cruiser charged weapons and opened fire. If the B’hari didn’t already have shields up, it would have sheered the ship in half with the first shot.

The energy readings matched the kind of output they’d already collected data on, with high output phase-disruptor signatures. The fight was over in moments. They’d boiled off the communications array first, then followed by targeting the main reactor and warp nacelles. The aging cargo vessel didn’t stand a chance against that kind of predator.

Rei

Teller tapped his comm badge to relay the findings to the bridge. =/\= Sir we got the data from the unit we retrieved. It seems the B’hari was using low impulse in the system as they surveyed the planetary bodies. Whether they stumbled on the cloaked Cardassian ship. The information shows that the B’hari had no warning before being fired upon. They did have time to bring up the shields at least. The unit recorded that the comms array was taken out first and then the main reactor and warp nacelles. It looks like it was a surgical strike which allowed them to board the ship or beam something off before they finished the job.”

Teller CSO

((There was no boarding action and nothing was beamed onto or off the B’hari. I’m not sure where you got that from my post.))

Rei

(Its the drinking and drugs.)

((LOL. Fair enough. :D ))

((Bump))

“But what exactly would they be after?” Charles wondered out loud. With a few more strokes at the counsel, he looked through to see if he could find something in the ship’s manifest. Perhaps something the Cardassians might have wanted to take, or destroy.

[Charles-Louis, Engineering]

(OOC: I’m sorry, I would know this IC but does this device have a copy of the manifest or am I thinking of something else? Couldn’t find the info online - Ava)

(That information is contained within the ship’s computer core. Which is back in that system, drifting in a loose formation about the size of the continental United States. However, they may have spoken about it in the cockpit voice recording. … I can tell you they didn’t, not within the last hour of them being alive. There might be a copy in the communications buffer that is in the debris recovered.

However, you don’t need it.

I actually forgot to include that info though it was requested. So this would have definitely been part of the briefing in the intervening hours on the way to the star system. - the B’hari wasn’t hauling anything but sailboat fuel. (Air. Meaning it was empty) Nothing to steal, save for crew and the usual stores to supply them. Now, further of note was that The Rockhound which also went missing in the same area also was empty, but it was a mining barge and prospecting in the system. I’m sure that would have come up in the intervening time.

They weren’t after anything. At least that the B’hari physically had with her when she arrived. And they weren’t in the system for long at all, and had only started to survey the system when things popped off.

This was not piracy, as there was nothing to steal.)

Rei

[OOC: Gotcha, I wasn’t thinking piracy but thanks for the info.]

IC:
His request to view the manifest drew from the data collected from the fragment they had recovered. But it was a dead end. The AI system, probably for the sake of efficiency, also brought up the mission brief from Star Fleet, that suggested both the B’hari and the Rockhound were likely not carrying any cargo nor persons of interest. The conclusion was clear, there was likely nothing physically onboard the Cardassians were after.

Charles snarled a bit under his breath, “Those Cardassian cowards ambushed these two cargo vessels for what appears to be no reason! Where is the honor in such a massacre? There was no advantage to even engaging them.”

[Charles-Louis, Engineering]

Cardassians don’t do anything without a reason…

Gamemaster Rei
GMT, USS Saracen

Teller pursed his lips confused. “They say Cardassian’s don’t do anything without reason,” Teller stated. It was a mystery. According to the briefing in the intervening hours on the way to the star system the B’hari wasn’t hauling anything but sailboat fuel. There had to be something the Cardassiaan’s were after.

“Like a game a twenty questions, if it isn’t a thing, perhaps its a person or a place.”

Teller CSO

If he checks, both ships went missing in the Goldilocks Zone of the star system, between the second and third planets. The inner planet was M-class, and about 30% larger than Earth, with 3 moons, one of which was a trapped comet. The third planet was a gigantic slushy planet with it’s own jovian type system of moons and orbiting rocks.

GM Rei, GMT

“Well that is interesting,” he stated out loud, “There is an M-class, and about 30% larger than Earth, with 3 moons within the area the two ships when missing”

Teller CSO

Having just returned from science station Beta-Seven, Tobias joined the Commander and cryptically remarked, “Commander Graham sir, while monitoring from my science position, I summarised a deliberate placement of these ships by the Cardassians – as if they’re concealing something vital, thwarting any attempts to enter that region of space, perhaps the box may enlighten us to any scan that were made of the planets and moons in the area?”

OOC: Hope it’s ok to jump in, if not let me know via DM and I’ll remove my insert.
OOC Fine by me… jump in the water is warm

Ensign Tobias Rax
Science Officer
USS Saracen

((Fine by me too.))

“Very astute Ensign,” Teller replied. Tapping a few buttons on the console, Teller began to look at the data to see if indeed Ensign’s hypothesis was correct and maybe get an idea of what the Cardassians might be hiding on one of the moons or planets.

Teller CSO

More data began to pour in, with scans of the celestial bodies coming into focus.

Farsinia 2 had an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere as expected, and a hazy blue atmosphere. It had a significant hydrosphere, much like Earth, with 66% covered by water. It sported six continents, and had a rotation almost identical to earth’s day cycle. The orbital period was 318 rotations/days. It was a little cool with slightly nastier winter seasons, but otherwise enjoyed the typical seasons. It was hope to forests, jungles, tundras, mesas and plateaus, along with expected valleys.

The planet had trapped a wayward asteroid, a big one. On it’s longest axis it was approximately 482 kilometers (about 300 miles) across . and on a long wobbly orbit. On an even longer orbit was a comet a little over 320 kilometers (or around 200 miles) across, throwing dust and debris, and generally being a navigation hazard. The third was a legitimate moon almost 3,058 kilometers (1900 miles) in diameter. Not quite as big as Luna but not far off either.

The orbiting asteroid “moon” was a nickle-iron lozenge hurtling through the cosmos, rich in basic but rather mundane minerals and elements. On closer inspection, the planet itself showed potentially high scans for more valuable minerals, including some sensor returns indicating dilithium.

GM Rei, GMT

Tobias respectfully reviewed the readings, noting nothing particularly noteworthy in the initial analysis. “Regarding the orbiting asteroid ‘moon’ Urm, may we consider designating it as Farsinia-Beta for clarity, sir? It seems to show signs of dilithium deposits, and I would recommend a thorough scan to check for indications of a mining operation. While mining itself is not illegal, there might be additional layers worth exploring,” he suggested with deference to the chief science officer.

Ensign Tobias Rax
Science Officer
USS Saracen

“Good plan. You do that and I will scan the actual planet for a base or something. It’s not likely the ships are just popping in randomly. Its more probable they have a base somewhere and attack when someone comes into the area,” Teller stated.

Teller CSO

With restrained enthusiasm, Tobias acknowledged, “Yes, sir, right away, sir.” He then shifted to one of the science stations, swiftly entering his credentials to access the ship’s science system. Initiating the process, he commenced by assigning the new designation to the asteroid as Farsinia-Beta and initiated the scanning procedure.

Ensign Tobias Rax
Science Officer
USS Saracen