Posted by Lieutenant M’Mera (Chief Of Security) in Main Sim - Conference Room-A - Senior Staff Meeting

Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Conference Room-A - Senior Staff Meeting
[snip]

Glen stood up and skipped the projector to a slide showing a map of the Hromi Cluster, and indicated Ardan V.

“This is the destination of our next mission,” Glen said. “Another mining colony world. Romulans, Klingons, and several pirate gangs have been there previously but pulled out for unknown reasons. The Federation has a colony there now but it has been in trouble. A garbled distress call from them yesterday referred to sabotaged equipment and something missing. They mine Dilithium-Niobium-Oxide and the man in charge is called Platus. he was an owner/operator on several mining haulers and seems to have worked his way to the top position. We are there to provide assistance. That’s really all I know, but the DHs have additional information in the discs I’ve given them. Any further questions?”

‘’Another mining colony ? If the Romulans, Klingons and pirates got the hell out of there , doesn’t that tell you something !’’ Cross exclaimed ‘’ On the very edge of unknown space and our orders are often a bit vague, really Captain is that what you believe that we are safe ?’’ the CMO raised her tone ‘’Okay ,okay I understand orders are orders’‘.

“There are rumours of something supernatural, Doctor,” replied Glen. “Should I believe those? Bogeymen, evil spirits, meta-genic monsters or just more mysterious interphasic aliens, witchcraft, and things that go bump in the night? …You know, there are plenty of quite reasonable reasons why such a colony might fail that wouldn’t be of any concern to us, from geological instability to problems with long distance logistics and supply. Part of our mission will obviously be to determine the ‘why’ here! With that in mind, I have attempted to discover the reasons why the Romulans might have left.”

“Any other questions?” Glen asked.

‘’Yes Captain ‘’ Cross replied ‘’but it takes more then spirits , witchcraft, etc for Romulans and Klingons to be scared ..it must be something far more sinister. Guess we’ll soon be able to find out what it could be ourselves ‘’ .

The CMO said nothing more for it seemed it was just her and Glen present in the conference room.

“That would be pure speculation, Doctor. There is no evidence or indications to believe that they were ‘scared’ away,” Glen replied, “as I said there could be one of many different reasons, both natural, such as the weather conditions, or just poor organisation of resources. We know that the Klingons are poor at forward planning and structure. However, the distress call made from the mining colony does give the impression of something very urgent… I’ll play it in full…”

Glen pressed a button and the recording he had heard earlier played.

=^= ....Ardan V…colony. We....Federation help....missing…sabotaged equipment. We repeat....we need help=^=

“I agree with you,” Glen said, “that does sound sinister and is rather concerning.”

“Any other questions? …Roger, would you like to say something, with all the senior officers together in one room?” Glen asked his new XO, Roger Sanks III.

“I am honored to be on this ship and be granted the promotion of Executive Officer of the Merrimack.” He started speaking. “It sounds like we don’t have much to go on for information on this mission, and we don’t know exactly what we are about to walk into, but I advise we study what’s on these discs and get as much information as we can as we travel to this mining facility.” He continued.

Cross was elated that there was a new Cmdr ,it meant she would not be ordered to take the bridge by the Captain .

“It sounds like we don’t have much to go on for information on this mission, and we don’t know exactly what we are about to walk into’‘

‘’Noting new there Cmdr ‘’ she told Sanks ‘’ We hardly ever know what we are about to find , hopefully the Captain’s Romulan friend would be able to give us some input ‘’.

Lance was lurking in the back of the room as he always did, scribbling notes in his battered note book. He listened intently and then scratched the fine blonde stubble on his chin before he chimed into the conversation, “All these colonies getting hit, it’s almost like a weird sort of coincidence or the start of a much bigger problem.” He mused.

“You may not have heard what Lt. Malone just said. At first, I was also concerned that these attacks upon miners might be connected, and the start of a bigger problem, but it appears to be pure coincidence,” Glen said.

Lance said nothing but he knew Crewman Davey in the labs would be giving lousy odds for not being a coincidence. He still turned a blind eye to the random gambling in the labs it kept everyone’s Math fresh.

Max laughed internally when Lance responded. He was thinking the same thing and was going to say something. He was just waiting to hear what else was needed if anything else. He knew the engineering team would be somewhat involved but the engineering team just needed to keep everything going for the time being.

Cross chirped in ‘’ I hope the boogeyman is not some new virus that we have not yet cross path with ‘’.

“I’m sure you have prepared Sickbay for all possible outcomes. Now, if you will all open your DH file for your area you will see further info about the planet, area, mining operations…etc?” Glen said.

Cross gave him a look that only Glen had seen before ‘’ Captain sickbay is always ready for what lies ahead, especially for a mission of this kind with so many questions and next to nothing answers ‘’ her gaze lingered on a bit before opening her file .

When the CMO toggled her datapadd the following data about Ardan V scrolled down it.

East of Ardan Medical File

The planet of Ardan V is a tropical paradise with abundant surface water and the various islands are covered in tropical forests.

The atmosphere has an abundance of nitrogen, oxygen and trace elements necessary for most forms of humanoid life forms.

Extensive flora and fauna. Think jungle plants and lifeforms including reptiles and insect life.

Ardan V Colony

The mining colony on Ardan V is a fascinating blend of advanced technology and rugged frontier life. It has a sprawling settlement built into the rocky terrain, with large mining facilities and processing plants dominating the landscape. The colony is designed to extract valuable minerals and resources from the planet’s rich deposits.

Key Features of the Mining Colony:

1. Mining Operations: The heart of the colony is its extensive mining operations. Massive drills and automated machinery work tirelessly to extract ores and minerals. The colony uses advanced techniques to minimize environmental impact, reflecting the Federation’s commitment to sustainability.

2. Living Quarters: The colonists live in well-designed habitats that provide comfort and safety. These quarters are equipped with all necessary amenities, including replicators for food and supplies, ensuring that the miners have everything they need.

3. Central Hub: The central hub of the colony is a bustling area where colonists gather to relax and socialize. It features recreational facilities, dining areas, and a marketplace where goods and services are exchanged.

4. Medical and Safety Facilities: Given the hazardous nature of mining, the colony has top-notch medical facilities staffed by skilled doctors and nurses. There are also safety protocols and emergency response teams ready to handle any accidents or incidents.

5. Transport and Logistics: Efficient transport systems, including shuttles and transporters, ensure that materials and personnel can move quickly between the colony and orbiting starships. This infrastructure is crucial for the smooth operation of the mining activities.

6. Cultural Diversity: The colony is home to a diverse population from various Federation worlds. This diversity is celebrated through cultural events and festivals, fostering a sense of community and cooperation among the colonists.

Overall, the mining colony on Ardan V is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the Federation’s pioneers, combining cutting-edge technology with the spirit of exploration and discovery.

The CMO proceeded to thoroughly read every bit of information .

Lt. Cmdr. Sanks looked at his own pad and started reading the information thoroughly as well, first starting with the medical. He wanted to be as prepared as the Captain and the department heads will be.

Lance looked over his pack, “It’s good to see survey teams putting in the effort, lots of how nice it is to live there but very light of risks and flora or fawner that might want to eat you.” He mused.

The information immediately scrolled across his screen.

Ardan V Science Report

Planetary Class: Minshara

Classification: Terrestrial

Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km

Location: Ecosphere

Surface: Surface water abundant

Atmosphere: Nitrogen, Oxygen, trace elements

Evolution: None

Life forms: Extensive vegetation, animal life.

Climate: Mild and equatorial with intermittent atmospheric disturbances.

Ardan V is 88% covered in oceans. A couple of small continents and many large chains of islands dot this vast area of water along the equatorial region.

On these small land masses there are vast masses of jungles filled with a variety of fauna that are found in these types of environments. Reptiles, felines, primates, insects, etc.
Each of the islands and continents are large enough to be made up of mountainous areas.

Several Federations surveys have been performed on planet and have found vast deposits of dilithium-niobium-oxide have been found in these mountains. A transitional mineral that is interspersed with dilithium and found to be an excellent fuel source for warp cores.

Surveys also found many ruins from previous mining colony settlements from several different races, such as the Klingons and Romulans. All were abandoned.

M’Mera tapped a long claw on one of her inscisor teeth as she read the Security report.

Ardan V Security Report

Ardan V is situated very near the Klingon border in unclaimed space. It is in a system of 5 planets. Ardan IV was also rich in dilithium and in 2165 a Federation outpost on the planet was attacked by a Klingon vessel which suicided into the planet igniting the dilithium deposits and destroyed the outpost as well as most of the planet.

Since then several colonies have been attempted on the surface of Ardan V. Remains of Klingon, Romulan and several other races have been found on planet and in space. Showing that many of these encounters were very deadly.

Security concerns would be high with Romulan, Klingon, Orions, and any other scavenger races.

“Not good, Captain. Lookss like we might be walking into a minefield. Klingonss, Rromulanss, Orrionss…pirratess…could be anybody. Lotss of sspace jotssam too.”

There was a strong possibility that the colony’s problems were a result of sabotage by rogue elements such as these, but it didn’t appear that they had sufficient numbers to launch any full-blown attack. Glen had managed to contact Commander Andone, who had given scant information, but she had told him that the Romulans had left after ‘accidents’ rather than any all-out attack. “I have reason to believe that the colony’s issues come from within,” Glen replied. “At least if not induced by some natural phenomena, then by members of the colony themselves. If there are spies or saboteurs then we must root them out. If there are large bands of scavengers then we’ll have to assess that situation when it arises, but that doesn’t appear to be the reason why the Romulans left.”

Now knowing that there were still some Romulans, Klingons and other races still on the planet did not sit well with the doctor ‘’Captain are you sure we have enough security to defend us from our dear friends ‘’ there was a hint of sarcasm in her last few words ‘’ Sickbay won’t be enough and we need an empty cargo bay for Triage ‘’.
Cross was positively sure that the designated team was not going to be welcomed on the planet with open arms.

Glen was reminded of that time when the Merrimack had been under attack by the Harvesters and the Cargo Bays had become an emergency tirage. The memory wasn’t a pleasant one, nor one he would forget easily. “If there are bands of rogues then they unlikely to be well-organised,” Glen assured her. “The Romulans and the Klingons left the planet of their own accord, if it was so bad, why would they stop the Federation from suffering too? Only the Orion Pirates would have sufficient resources to mount such an attack on us here. Anyway, you are all aware that for me, the safety of this crew comes first. Didn’t I bring us back from Unity as soon as I was aware that the real situation there demanded more than a single Starship? We cannot be of any help to anyone if we fall victim to the same hazard that has been troubling them.”

“Aye ssirr, you did.” M’Mera said nodding once. “My motto iss to be rready forr anything beforre that anything can bite you in the tail.”

“Can you contact Advisor Platus and his security on our arrival then,” Glen asked the COS. “Let’s get their own assessment of these remaining Klingons, Romulan and other races and how much of a threat they may be to the colony or to us… We also don’t yet have the reason for the distress call or know which equipment was sabotaged. Let us all not get ahead of ourselves until we have all the facts to hand… and let’s not get too concerned about supernatural or paranormal reasons for no one staying on this planet. Superstition! There will be a perfectly reasonable explanation with the laws of nature for whatever has happening. I’m sure of it!”

M’Mera nodded, “Aye ssir, I will. I will also run indepth sscanss upon ourr arrrival and make ssurre none of that sspace debrriss is rrecent.”

Cross shook her hand as if there were a couple of flies buzzing around ‘’ Who in this time and age believe in such nonsense, as my grandpa use to tell me , be afraid of the living not the dead ‘’ she commented .

The amount of data to take in was a lot. It was a very busy location being a colony and all kinds of things from an engineering stand point. He then asked, “Do we have an amount of mining done daily details or where the mining takes place? Doing this under ground could be extra dangerous and something we have to pay attention to.” He was curious to know if there was any more data. He also asked, “Is this race space travel/warp drive capable at this point?” He then waited for the responses.

OOC: I was waiting for the CE to request the info:)

IC:
As the CE looked at his own data padd the details of the mining colonies actual operations came up for him to scroll through.

Dilithium-Niobium-Ozide Mining Operation

Overview: Dilithium, niobium, and ozide are critical elements used in the Federation's starship technology. Mining these resources requires advanced technology and meticulous operations to ensure safety and efficiency.

Equipment Used:

Subspace Drill Platforms:

These platforms utilize subspace fields to reduce the density of rock, making it easier to extract valuable ore. They're equipped with precision laser drills that minimize damage to the surrounding environment.

Antigrav Load Lifters:

These lifters use antigravity technology to transport mined ore to processing facilities without the need for traditional heavy machinery. This reduces the risk of cave-ins and environmental damage.

Molecular Separators:

Once the ore is transported to the processing facility, molecular separators are used to isolate dilithium, niobium, and ozide at the atomic level. This ensures a higher purity of the extracted materials.

Energy Shields:

Mining operations are protected by energy shields to prevent accidents, contain harmful emissions, and secure the site from potential threats.

Mobile Processing Units:

These units are deployed on-site to begin initial processing of the ore, ensuring only the valuable material is transported to starbases or refineries, optimizing logistics.

Holographic Survey Drones:

Deployed to create real-time 3D maps of the mining site, these drones help in planning the most efficient extraction routes and identifying the richest ore veins.

Ore Quantity Mined: The amount of ore mined can vary greatly depending on the richness of the deposit and the efficiency of the operation. On a typical mining day:

Dilithium: 5-10 kilograms

Niobium: 15-20 kilograms

Ozide: 10-15 kilograms

These numbers represent an optimal yield under ideal conditions. The Federation employs strict environmental and safety regulations, so every operation is conducted with care for the surrounding ecosystem.

Glen looked inside his own folder to see if they had tonnages of ore mined or how many sites, and whether it was drift mined or open cast. He couldn’t remember seeing that information earlier. The second part of Mullins’ question was much easier. “They are a Federation colony, made up of mixed Federation races. They have warp capable ships and are free to come and go as they please,” Glen answered. “I’m not sure about the details of the mining operation itself. I guess it is a question to ask Platus when we arrive there.”

It seemed to Captain Glen that the questions were coming to an end, and he had nothing more to say. “Any other questions? Either for me, or that you think we should ask Platus?”

‘’Yes Captain I do , can you tell us who is going with the landing party ?’’ Cross asked.

“That’s a good question!” Glen said, as he hadn’t had time to consider it yet. “I’m assuming from the question, you wish to go rather than send one of your other very capable doctors? I’ll be going obviously, and do wish to come, Roger?” Captain Glen asked the new XO. “Or stay and take control of the Merrimack? We can always leave Hercules Kahuna in charge?”

“Then, I’d also like Max Mullins and Lance Malone,” continued Captain Glen. “I’d like Stella Gagnon and Eros Dionysovich as they are new to the ship. Then M’Mera, and however many other security officers that she thinks will be necessary. So probably nine or ten officers in total.”

• Glen, CO

M”Mera’s mouth had been open to speak but when the Captain tagged her on at the end she shut it and nodded emphatically.

Lt. M’Mera COS

GM Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare