[snip]

“Let’s check if the existing probes detected any slight variation in the field strength or any anomaly,” Kahuna added. At the same time, he allowed Clifford to make new more detailed ship scans.

Morris began directing the computer to give a full spectrum analysis of the planet and the dampening field, searching for any anomalies or irregularities that might help give them a target.

With using so many probes around the planet to scan they indeed found a focal point for the jamming signal. The focal point was the cavern area where the Captains away team was. Firing torpedoes in there really was not a good idea unless they wished to kill their own CO and shipmates.

“The focal point appears to be underground,” Cara explained. “Near to where the landing party were sent, and within the extent of the mining tunnels.”

At which point a communication was picked up, sent over a wide range of channels =/\= USS Merrimack! =/\= Stella called out. =/\= Hey you! USS Merrimack you up there? =/\=

“That’s Stella’s voice!” Cara exclaimed. “Their communicators are working again!”

=/\= Stella? Uh, we had a slight communications malfunction, but uh …everything’s perfectly all right now. We’ve been trying to make contact with you but we first had to move further away from the planet. We’re fine. We’re all fine here now, thank you. How are you? =/\=

Cross had just stepped on the bridge as Cara had made contact Finally she thought. ‘’Cara do please ask her about the rest of the landing party?’’ .

=/\= This is Lieutenant J.G. Ashley Walker part of Engineering. What’s the status up there? Is there a way we can get in contact with the captain?=/\=

“Hold on folks!” Cara exclaimed. “I can only talk to one person at a time!”

If it wasn’t for the fact that the situation was dire Cross would have smiled ‘’Try working in sickbay !’’ the CMO exclaimed.

Cara replied on all the open channels at the same time. =/\= We are holding a geocentric orbit with an apogee significantly beyond that of a geosynchronous orbit, and we are undergoing a few repairs from when the Warp power went offline. Sickbay is dealing with a few slips and falls and heads knocked against bulkheads, but nothing serious. We have been unable to communicate until now because of the field surrounding from the planet, but have now been able to isolate its focal point as a cavern area beneath you inside the mines, which we are assuming is where the Captain’s away team are. However, we haven’t made contact with them, no! =/\=

Morris tried to sift through the cacophony of voices trying to speak though the comms, but since he was new and didn’t know the voices speaking, it was almost impossible. He respected how the science officer (Cara?) was able to handle the situation. The officer, stella, they seemed to be talking seemed off to Morris, how she was speaking over the comm seemed inorganic to him. But he had to admit, he had no idea what their natural voice sounded like, so couldn’t determine if something was actually wring or not.

=/\= That is correct. The captain is in the cavern area beneath us inside the mines. However, I’m not sure if we will be able to contact them. We will try our best from here. But I do want to ask, if there is a way you can transport us back to the ship once we are finished here. =/\= replied Ashley.

Cara replied =/\= I think the ship will be too far away from the planet now to get a lock on you, or even to transport, but I’m not an engineer. We’ll let you know. The field surrounds the entire planet, so a shuttlecraft landing isn’t possible either. =/\=

=/\= So your telling me we are on our own for a while then? For how much longer? =/\= Ashley asked.

=/\= The field is originating on the planet where the Captain is. We can’t do anything about it here. It needs to be turned off. =/\= Cara replied.

=/\= Understood. We’ll try and keep tabs if need be. =/\= Ashley replied.

=/\= ” Merrimack this is Lieutenant jg Stella Gagnon. I have a bit of a question if you don’t mind. What field? What is the field made of? Can we see it? Can we smell it? Is there any way at all we can measure it or tell where it is? Obviously, you have found a way to detect this so-called field. So, at this time the chances of us turning anything off are about the same as a Badger mating with an Alligator. So, as you can tell a little sharing would be wonderful.

“Er… I’m a scientist not a farmer! …sorry, I don’t know how it works, I just know that when we were inside its bubble the Warp Drive died, and nothing would work. The probes that have been sent out all went dead. …but when we moved away from it …now everything is hunky-dory again. Does that help? =/\= Cara replied.

‘’Cara dear you have spend a lot of time with us humans and it seem you’re turning into a homo-sapiens ‘’ Cross chirped in.

“I very much hope not,” replied Cara. “No apes in my family tree either on my grandmother’s or grandfather’s side, but many primitive human cultures have worshiped both my species of Caitians and M’mera’s species, if not as Gods themselves, but as vessels that the gods chose to inhabit, and whose likeness Gods chose to adopt. So, you would be wise to bow down to your god at this point.”

‘’Ah yes the great Pharaohs who had nothing better to do and decided to build the pyramids with their slaves of course ‘’ Cross replied ‘’I ain’t bowing to no Gods , I hate cats but I know of someone who adores them so much so he has one running around the ship ‘’ after that Cross stayed quiet so as not to disturb Cara.

Stella spoke again =/\= So, to sum up you were in a bubble full of something that you couldn’t see or measure and that had no impact on its environment and is immeasurable. Or for matter may not even be a a bubble but could be a huge gelatinous wobbly cube! …Cara? I assume that when the ship approached the planet, they did the normal sorts of scans, atmosphere, planetary magnetic fields and such? =/\=

Dariusz, who knew that Cara hadn’t been on the Bridge back then, piped up, “They ran every kind of scan possible when we first made orbit. Nothing out of the ordinary came up. Of course, whatever it is can’t have been operating then, and had no impact because the ship wasn’t being affected. When it was, it happened immediately, like a switch being thrown. …And I guess the extent of activity could be cube-shaped rather than a sphere, but not sure how that is important. It is measurable though… the probes show it is strongest in that area where we think the Captain is.”

Cara listened then replied to Stella =/\= Yes. …They ran all kinds of different scans. What are you getting at? =/\=

Dariusz looked at the probe data again and ran an analysis, “No, it’s definitely cube-shape; following the inverse square law and decreasing with distance from its source!” He waited for more instructions, but Kahuna was listening to Cara’s conversation and Cara was talking.

There was a long pause then Stella said =/\= I am looking for large deposits of nickel and iron. Large, concentrated deposits whether together or separately. If you find those you may find a portion of the planets magnetic field misbehaving. =/\=

“We would have picked something like that up,” Dariusz said. “The Captain was quite insistent that we carried out every possible scan before he would transport anyone down there ....but there is a piezoelectric effect that occurs when the Dilithium crystals are heated from the radiant heat deep inside a planet and that heat is converted into mechanical energy …Nickel and Iron are commonly found in a metallic meteorites and in the dense metal cores of telluric planets. This mechanical energy produced by Dilithium crystal can increase tectonic stresses in a planet’s crust to the point where the planet literally tears itself apart. This phenomenon was responsible for the destruction of a number of planets in the Selcundi Drema sector. I don’t know if that helps?”

“I wish we had a geologist here,” Cara told him. “I’ll tell her we’ll look into it!”

=/\= Stella? We’ve noted your idea and we will look into it, but we don’t currently have a Ship’s geologist, and all the engineers who could answer your suggestion are down there in the room with you. I also suggest that you try to contact the Captain again since he is sitting on the source by all accounts. Cara out! =/\=

Morris tried, and failed, to keep up with all the science talk going on. He longed for something to just shoot at.

Suddenly a familiar voice came over the comms, =^=M’Merra to USS Merrimack! Brridge, are you therre?=^=

Cara decided that operating Comms wasn’t the job for her. Too many voices speaking at once and she was not responsible for the number and type of probes sent. She put the call on speakerphone and stepped away from the comms to let Dr. Cross step closer.

It took Cross by surprise so much so that she took a moment before replying =/\= M’Merra finally !=/\= she exclaimed =/\= We hear you loud and clear ..is the landing party safe ? Are there any injuries ? I’ll inform the Captain everything about what happened to the ship but tell him its still in one piece =/\= the CMO was heard chuckling ,she had been worried , having thoughts occupied with unpleasant things and events that have happened or that may happen,it was now that Cross realized the mental state she had been in....... concerned, apprehensive and anxious .

Cross CMO.

=^=The Captain iss rright herre and I’m ssurre he’ss rrelieved to hearr the sship iss in one piece. Wass the sship in dangerr? I know the communicationss did not worrk as we arre standing herre with the people who caussed it. I don’t think they will interrferre anymorre.=^=

Lt. M’Mera COS

=/\= Hope not!! =/\= Cross exclaimed =/\= Cause everything stopped working from the engine’s to a simple medical tricoder .The ship went to total darkness for some time but thanks to our engineers they got them working again and the ship was able to move further away from the planet ,had they not done so tell the Captain he would have seen his ship falling from the sky =/\=

Cross CMO.