Hide and Seek

Posted on Mon Jan 4th, 2021 @ 8:35am by Captain Taliserra Tigran & Lieutenant JG Binea & Ensign Bracca & Lieutenant Commander Radak & Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph. D & Petty Officer 1st Class Miranda Fry
Edited on on Mon Jan 4th, 2021 @ 8:46am

Mission: To catch a thief
Location: Tukefra nebula
Timeline: 3rd April 2395 1215hrs

ON:

In her ready room Taliserra sat pondering what to put in her log, she had permission to go after the mercenaries but only a few leads on where to look for them.

Captain's log stardate 72252.1, we're investigating leads that hopefully will get us to the location of the Dead Skull Privateers ships, our first stop is the Tukefra nebula, it's on the course the bases sensor data showed the ships were heading in and it would make a good place for a small group of ships to lay low for a while, it could be a wild goose chase but we still need to investigate.


=== Bridge ===

"Commander, we're coming up on the nebula." Bracca reported and started to slow the ship's warp speed down so they didn't overshoot the nebula.

Radak nodded. "Very well, I will inform the captain. Scan the nebula for any sign of the merc ships. It's possible that their trail might be easier to follow in the nebula... or perhaps not. Do we know what sort of engine their ship is using." It occurred to him that he should have probably asked those questions sooner.

"Dropping out of warp." Bracca slowed the ship past the warp threshold and positioned it near the nebula, the grey smokey looking nebula before them didn't look inviting, his navigational sensors were already flashing alerts about the nebula, high levels of ionic interference, pockets of metreon gas, the works.

Radak tapped his comm. =/\= Captain, we are nearing the nebula. =/\=

=/\= Thank you, Commander. I'll be out shortly.=/\=

Static, white noise and more static, was what Edwards saw. Even short range sensors were extremely limited. Every few seconds he thought he saw something. One in twenty that might pan out to almost be a clue before it also fizzled away to naught. “This is next to impossible!” he exclaimed.

Taliserra emerged from the ready room just in time to hear Anthony's exclamation. "I don't like hearing that word on my bridge, Lieutenant," she said as she crossed the bridge towards her chair.

“Aye, Ma’am, and I don’t usually use it anywhere. I am a scientist. It is generally my job to make the impossible possible. It is just a blind, tongueless snake would have more chances of finding dinner than us in this static. I am doing everything I can, I just don’t like having a blindfold on while listening for something I hope is out there,” Anthony responded.

"The nebula is disrupting our sensors?" Taliserra asked, Luna class starship had some of the best sensors in the entire Federation. If they couldn't get through it she doubted many could.

“Yes, the Nebula is playing with the sensors. The Luna Class, being some of the youngest Science explorers in the fleet have the youngest and best sensors out there. They are enhanced for Nebula and planetary investigation. That said however, even we’re almost blind. I mentioned, I am almost getting some clues, but that is well within weapon's range. If we bump into something unfriendly out here...” Anthony said without a smile. He hated the idea of not being able to defend themselves.

"Ensign Bracca, can we take the ship into the nebula?" she asked the young Bolian.

"I wouldn't recommend it, Captain," he replied. "There's a lot of hazards in there I wouldn't like to fly through even with sensors working perfectly."

"Probes Captain!" Anthony said from the science station. "If we set up probes around the perimeter of the nebula we might get a better reading of what, If anything is in there."

"How long do you need to set it up?" Taliserra asked, she was worried if the mercenary ships weren't in there, their lead would be increasing.

"I could have six ready to go in about five minutes," Doctor Edwards said. "Ten might take ten minutes, because I might have to reconfigure some of them."

"We should get the six out there and work on more," Radak suggested. "Hopefully, if they are in there the interference is affecting them just as much."

"I agree, launch the probes as soon as they're ready" Taliserra ordered. "As many as we need for a quick but comprehensive sweep."

With a few taps on his bridge console Anthony sent the information for probes to the team so they could ready them for launch. A few minutes later he looked to Captain Tigran and said, “Captain, probes ready for launch.”

"Fire away Lt. How long do you estimate we'll need for the scan?" Taliserra asked

"That really depends on how much the probes clear up the sensors." Anthony said as he gently pressed the buttons to launch the probes after locking in the individual location for each probe as he ran his hands over the science station. "Six hours should see us have a full scan and know positively if anything is in there."

"That long..." Taliserra sighed slightly. "If they're not hiding in there they could be light years away by the time we know for sure they're not in there.

“It is about eight time shorter than it would take without the probes out there Ma’am we are as I said before next to blind. That is how much static this nebula is making for our sensors.” Anthony said concentrating as the probes made their way to their location.

"In that case..." Taliserra said before trying and failing to stifle a yawn. "I think I'll try and get a bit of rest, being woken up at 0200hrs was not fun."

"Yes ma'am!" All officers had those calls. the higher up the ranks you went the more early morning calls you got. At least all of his important early morning calls were from other people that had early morning calls rather than accidental one, like used to happen on earth because of clock changes and location differences in time. "I'll let you know as soon as we have anything either way."

"Make sure you get some rest too Anthony, same with you Binea and Bracca, get someone up to relieve you soon." Taliserra instructed, she knew all of them had been awake since then too.

"Aye Sir." Binea responded, she started to look through the roster at who she could have relieve her, she knew a lot of them would be sleeping off hangovers.

“Yes Captain as soon as I confirm the probes have attained their rightful location for the search.” Anthony said he watched them as one of the science replacements came over as the science console beeped to tell him the probes did exactly what he wanted to be the last thing to get done. “And that’s me done for this shift.

"You have the bridge Commander." She told Radak before getting up and heading towards the turbolift off the bridge.

"Understood Captain." Radak

"Captain.." Came the voice of her yeoman who came quickly through the ready room doorway. "There is a communique from starfleet command just coming through for you."

Taliserra visibly groaned, it was the last thing she needed right now. "Alright, I'll take a look at it." she turned away from the turbolift and headed for her ready room.



OFF:

Captain Taliserra Tigran
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Radak
Executive Officer

Lieutenant (jg) Dr Anthony Edwards, Ph.D
Chief Science Officer

LTjg Binea
Ens Bracca
[Npc's Taliserra]