Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Captain) in Main Sim [Bridge]: Belly of the Beast

Posted by Kvasir (Story Teller) in Main Sim [Bridge]: Belly of the Beast

Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Captain) in Main Sim [Bridge]: Belly of the Beast
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

—[SNIP]—

Rende stared at the view screen that was currently set to display the stars in front of them. She tapped her fingers rapidly, sounding like a horse running, while she read the reports coming across her access panel on her chair. She paused to read the report from Woods and the current theory they were working on. Then slapped her combadge, =/\=Rende to Woods. We’ll be tractoring in our guest’s ship in five hours. We’ll come to an all stop. Be ready to go with the static warp field then. Once we have the motes controlled here, we’ll send a team to the other ship. You’ll need a shuttle since transporters are still down.=/\=

Yorba leaned closer to Rende’s shoulder and offered his PaDD. “Repair teams are currently working on the problem, sir. Early estimates suggest we’ll be operational again by the time we reach our destination. Modifications required for the static field could delay our efforts, but we’ll be ready.”

Rende looked over the PaDD and nodded. “Thank you Yorba. When we finally catch that ship, is there any way to get the sensors to filter out the radiation that’s giving us problems so we can get a clearer picture of what’s going on?”

“We may be able to filter out some of the background radiation flux with some modification to the sensors,” he mused. “But that’s only going to do so much to cut through the ionic interference from their reactor leak. Readings from the drive section will be foggy at best until it can be fixed, but there are plenty of places in the forward section we can set the away team down. There’s what looks to be a docking ring amidship; that’ll be the easiest way to get in, just like before.”

Rende nodded silently considering. She’d ask El, but he was busy fixing their own ship. And then their were this fey-cursed motes. What would they do to her crew?

=/\=Rende to Eldorin. We’ll be coming to an all stop in about five hours to tractor the alien ship and to initiate a static warp field. You have that long to make sure the ship is ready for it. Then we’ll be visiting the alien ship again.=/\=

Meanwhile Rende kept reading the reports and monitoring ship’s comms keeping aware of the goings on. A medic stationed to the bridge ran the hourly medical checks and so far the bridge staff was free of influence. Sitting. Waiting. Listening. Contemplating. Rende spent the time looking over the data dump from the alien ship trying to learn more about Hab’rabi and his people.

Five hours later, “Captain, we’re coming up on the alien ship, slowing to towing speeds.”

Amidst the swirling diamond mist of warp speed, a small grey dot slipped into view. Even at this distance, the size of Hab’rabi’s vessel was impressive. The warp field snapped away, streaks of starlight retreating to pinpricks against the velvet curtain of space. The massive colony ship stretched out before them, reminding Rende of some ancient sea creature lurking in the gelid waters of the deep. The mottled hull rippled in the faint light of a nearby sun, and Rende could almost imagine any of the bulbous protrusions along its length yawning open to reveal rows of jagged teeth. It seemed dangerous now even as it slumbered in its low-power state, waiting to strike at the slightest provocation.

Lieutenant Pearson gave her console a stern look. “She’s just like we left her, sir. No life signs, no distinct energy readings beyond where the away team encountered the alien. She’s still derelict.”

Rende nodded looking up, “Tactical as soon as we are within range lock on tractor beam.” The officer only nodded watching the distance count down and then with one quick beep the tractor beam engaged. “Tractor beam locked on and secure Captain.”

“Helm come to all stop.”

The Viking’s low hum fell languidly away as she answered the command of her captain. Perhaps it was a trick of the imagination, but Rende could almost feel a subtle pull from the behemoth colony ship as it came to rest in the grip of their tractor beam.

=/\=Rende to Woods and Eldorin. We’ve got the alien ship and come to an all stop. You’re clear to begin.=/\=

Rende, CO

Rende stared at the kraken taunting her from the depths. She was perched on the edge of her seat, elbows on knees, leaned forward staring at ship in front of her on the screen. Yorba could almost see the captain playing out ways to take down the massive monster in front of her and discarding each one by one. Under his breath he muttered, “He’s a grand, ungodly, god-like man, Captain Ahab; doesn’t speak much; but, when he does speak, then you may well listen. Mark ye, be forewarned; Ahab’s above the common; Ahab’s been in colleges, as well as ‘mong the cannibals; been used to deeper wonders than the waves; fixed his fiery lance in mightier, stranger foes than whales.” (- Herman Melville, ‘Moby Dick’.)

Rende’s face took on a strange look, “Oh aye, Yorba, and this beastie will be next.”

Rende, CO

After quiet moments, “Yorba, how bad is the radiation? Are the repair crews going to need protective suits? Or could we send in some repair bots to fix the reactor leak first? Then send in the teams?”

Rende, CO

Looking over the sensor readings, he rubbed his chin in thought. “I’d wager long-term exposure would be hazardous, but we could inoculate the away team against it for a while. It might give them an opportunity to assess the damage; for all we know, someone just left the containment door open and it’s a quick fix.”

“You know many many hundreds of years ago we had these special badges we had to wear, Yorba, that would turn from green to red when we were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. Now we rely on the ship’s computer to tell us or a tricorder after the fact. It’s backwards.” Rende got up from her chair and moved over to one of the auxiliary work stations and sat down. She read over the data dump from the ship again, especially the information about the remnants and the hab and the set. Then, “Computer establish a connection with the computer on the alien ship. Continuous security threat scans. I want anything in the ship’s computer and logs about the remnants and mentions of them becoming defiant, dangerous, criminal, harming each other, the hab, or the set, or anyone else. Mentions of ones that are defiant.”

Rende, CO

“Link established,” the computer replied blandly. “Attempting to access computer systems. There is extensive corruption to the ship’s processing system. Unable to access textual files due to lack of basis for grammatical structure.“

Yorba frowned, leaning over Rende’s shoulder. “Computer, cross-reference with received data labelled ‘Valhrn.’ Search for any educational or informational files containing both linguistic and grammatical constructs.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “Maybe they have their ABCs in there somewhere?”

“Database found. Creating filter and cataloguing. Stand by.“

Yorba chuckled softly, then sobered as information began to flow down the screen. “Look how much it’s having to reroute. I wonder if there systems are as bad off as—”

The lieutenant’s thought cut off abruptly as the entire bridge flickered and strobed. Every display winked on and off rapidly before images and blocks of text began to stream across their surfaces faster than the eye could track. Shock and panic held the crew fast for an eternal moment before they realized what was happening: they were being accessed by something else! Yorba grit his teeth and slid into a chair at a nearby terminal, fingers flying across the polished surface.

“The alien computer is attempting to take control of our systems. I can’t sever the link, but security protocols are holding. Attempting to lock out critical and command functions.”

All illumination on the bridge cut out, plunging them into absolute darkness and silence. Rende’s blood thundered in her ears. Yorba’s stressed breathing seemed incredibly close, oppressive. The whole room vibrated with checked anxiety as the crew waited with baited breath. The lights flickered once before returning to full brightness, and the viewscreen winked on to display the massive colony ship as if nothing ever happened. Only the computer terminals at the rear of the bridge seemed affected, displaying overlapping symbols and shapes.

“GREETINGS, PURSUANT,” a disjoined voice boomed through the comm system. It was an odd collection of male and female voices speaking in unison, all quite calm and collected if painfully loud. “YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO ACCESS RESTRICTED INFORMATION BEYOND YOUR CLEARANCE. MIGHT WE ASK YOUR PURPOSE?“

Rende stilled as the lights began to flicker and go out. Patience. She needed patience. It was obvious, even without Yorba’s confirmation, that the alien ship was trying to figure them out as well. El was going to be so mad at her. She grinned, almost as if she looked forward to the argument.

When the lights came up she stared at the screen and then the voices, plural, boomed through the bridge and Rende cursed. It was like the gods forsaken Borg! Where was a multiphasic rotating frequency sniper rifle when you needed it? Rende looked up and around, as if expecting to see a face to go with the voices. She looked at Yorba to see if he’d managed to lock out critical systems. So far nothing had been damaged, if a bit overwhelmed for a moment. She was going to have to be diplomatic.

“I am Captain Rende Asam. This is my ship the USS Viking. Your leader, your representative, Hab’rabi, is on board our vessel as a guest. He has been injured. Your remnants, or something similar, have damaged part of my ship, and have merged with some of my crew, and they are not meant to tolerate such contact. We are trying to learn more about what is happening. Some of them seem friendly and others aggressive. We are trying to gain more information. We do not wish to harm them. And we need physiological information in order for our doctors to heal Hab’rabi.”

Okay, maybe that wasn’t completely true, but Rende would rather not hurt them if she could help it.

“WE UNDERSTAND,” the chorus thundered. There was a long pause, and then it continued at a more reasonable volume. “LORD HAB’RABI’S VITAL SIGNS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED. HIS SITUATION IS STABLE. OUR FACILITIES ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF ASSISTING HIS RECOVERY. WE WOULD LIKE HIM RETURNED WITH ALL HASTE.“

“I can not do that. He refused teleportation, which is broken anyway, and I will not risk more of my crew by sending a shuttle to a ship with no crew to care for him. I am responsible for his well being. I don’t even know if I can get a shuttle launched. Your remnants have, perhaps unintentionally, sabotaged critical systems. If it was done on purpose I have no way of stopping them from sabotaging a shuttle and further endangering him. If the information your ship sent us is truthful, I have no hope of communicating with your remnants without him. I have one or two crew members who might be able to, but they were severely injured in the process. One, my executive officer, the remnants showed him Hab’rabi’s plan to commandeer my ship. Somehow he didn’t strike me as a pirate, but I have no reason to doubt my First Officer.”

Taking a breath Rende really wouldn’t mind sending Hab’rabi back, but she needed answers and help for her ship and crew. “Who are you?”

“A SINGULAR IDENTITY IS INACCURATE, AS WE ARE A COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS FOCUSED AT THE DIRECTION OF THIS VESSEL’S INTEGRATED BIOSYNTHETIC SYSTEMS,” There was a hint of something in the tone, a very subtle shift in pitch. Amusement? “HOWEVER, IF A SINGULAR IDENTITY WILL BETTER FACILITATE COMMUNICATION AND EXPEDITE THE RETURN OF OUR LORD, YOU MAY ADDRESS US AS ‘LEGION’.“

Legion’s tone settled to stoic once more. “WHILE WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT MAY BE USED TO HARM LORD HAB’RABI OR OUR PEOPLE, WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE REMNANTS AS YOU CALL THEM MEAN YOU NO HARM. AS THEY LACK A WILL AS YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND IT, THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF DIRECTED INTENT WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A HAB OR THE USE OF A YUR—ONLY THE FORMER OF WHICH YOU PRESENTLY POSSESS. AND WHILE OUR LORD IS INDEED CAPABLE OF DIRECTING THEM IN THE MANNER YOU SUGGEST, WE CANNOT FATHOM A MOTIVE FOR SUCH AN ACT.“

“I am not concerned with your singularity or multiplicity, but to know the entity with which I am speaking. If ‘Legion’ is what you wish to be called, I will accommodate.” Rende listened but felt like she was being lied to. “Then you are not telling me the truth. These remnants have possessed my officers and forced them to act in ways that they never would on their own. Including possessing one of my security officers and making him shoot your Hab.”

Rende hadn’t known for sure that was what happened to Sacco but the early scans seemed consistent with the other crew that had been possessed, and Fairweather as well. Something had happened where he had been working, she didn’t have the details yet though. “If it is not your remnants, what is it?”

“TRUTH IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE, CAPTAIN RENDE OF THE USS VIKING.” Legion’s collective voice deepened to what could only be called disappointment. “WE HAVE NO NEED TO BE UNTRUTHFUL WITH YOU. PERHAPS THE FAULT LIES WITH THE PHYSIOLOGY OF YOUR CREW; THEY ARE NOT SET AND THEREFORE ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO THE ANNOINTING. SUCH INTERACTION HAS EVER BEEN SHOWN TO BE BENIGN AMONGST OUR SPECIES; REMNANTS ARE NO MORE CAPABLE OF COMPELLING YOUR CREW TO ACT AGAINST THEIR NATURE THAN WARM SUNSHINE OR THE CARESS OF A LOVED ONE. AS BEINGS DIVESTED OF CORPOREAL FORM—WHAT YOUR KIND MIGHT TERM A ‘SOUL’—THEY HAVE NO MALICE TOWARDS THE LIVING AND WOULD FIND NO PURPOSE IN OFFERING THEM VIOLENCE.“

After a brief pause, Legion continued in a more grave mode. “IT WOULD PERHAPS GIVE CREDENCE TO OUR CLAIM FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE COMPOSED OF SUCH REMNANTS. OUR SOLE PURPOSE IS TO PRESERVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE OF OUR PEOPLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY. PRELIMINARY MEDICAL SIMULATIONS SUGGEST INTERACTIONS WITH OUR KIND TO HAVE INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO OVERRIDE YOUR VARIED SPECIES’ INDIVIDUAL WILLS. WE CAN ONLY SUGGEST THAT INTERACTION WITH THE REMNANTS RESULTED IN THE LOWERING OF WHAT YOU CALL ‘INHIBITION’. THAT IS TO SAY, YOUR SO-CALLED POSSESSED CREWMEMBERS ACTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR NATURES AND NOT OUTSIDE IT.“

Rende leaned forward, elbows on knees and stared that scrolling alien text. She pulled up he scans of the four different types of motes and sent it along the link. “We have the following scans of remnants, or remnant like energy signatures. Which one is actually remnants. I would hate to shoot the wrong thing.”

“PURSUANT, PLEASE BE PATIENT WHILE WE REVIEW THESE FINDINGS.” There was an audible hum that ran through the comm line, like whispered conversation or hundreds of pensive mutterings. Finally, it died away. “WE ARE ABLE TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY ONLY… ONLY… LY… LY-LY-LY—“

Legion’s unified voice descended into a cacophony of chaotic sounds, words crashing against each other and scattering until it cut off abruptly. A singular calm male voice purred over the intercomm. “Apologies, Pursuant, but your request cannot be processed at this time. Please consult with your local Adjutant if you experience any further delay. Unity in peace!“

“—REMNANTS. APOLOGIES, PURSUANT, THERE SEEMS TO BE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO OUR CONSTRUCT. COLUMNS TWENTY-FOUR THROUGH THIRTY-SIX ARE INOPERABLE. COLUMNS EIGHT, THIRTEEN, AND SEVENTEEN ARE NOT FOUND. COLUMN THIRTY-NINE OPERATING AT SEVEN PERCENT CAPACITY. TERMINATING LINK AND ENTERING DIAGNOSTIC MODE. UNITY IN PEACE, PURSUANT RENDE.“

There was an abrupt blip, then silence. Yorba tapped at the controls and shook his head.

“It broke the connection, and I’m not detecting any power to their communications array.” He glanced at the captain. “What do you want to do now, sir?”

Rende hears the break down of order and smirks, “Not so confident now are they.” She mutters quietly to Yorba. When the link closes she looks at Yorba. “I want an analysis of all that noise. What were the individual voices saying?”

Yorba nodded and set to work. “It’ll take some time to sift through all the audio, but luckily I served aboard a Liberian freighter for a few months and picked up a few tricks. There’s almost nothing more garbled than bickering between freighter captains over trade rights.”
—Jas/Jenn—