Searching for trouble

Posted on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 @ 1:16pm by Captain Taliserra Tigran & Ensign Bracca & Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo & Lieutenant Dovenice Baka & Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph. D & Lieutenant JG Summer Wyse & Ensign Min Zhao & Lieutenant JG Kyle Samson

Mission: The devil wears tripolymer
Location: Deck 1- Bridge
Timeline: an hour after 'Homeward bound???'

The transit to Alpha Trionus had been short and soon the systems G-type star became visible on the viewscreen.

"Approaching Alpha Trionus Captain." Bracca reported, his fingers hovered over the button that would drop the Wolff out of warp speed at the reccommended edge of the solar system.

"Drop to impulse."

"Aye Sir, reducing speed." Bracca steadily bought the Wolff down to and through the warp threshold. "Eta to planetary orbit is 40 minutes." He said expecting Taliserra would order the ship into orbit of the planet.

"Set a fly by course." Taliserra said, "keep at least 100 million kilometers between us and the planet for now." If there were any potential hostile ships nearby she wanted to make it look like they weren't responding to the distress call.

Ty was seated in his chair at the Captain's side, a place he was learning to love. "Weird space snares one day, planetary emergencies next," he teased though there was some time between the incidents. "I want a full detailed sensor sweep, multiple spectrum. Hopefully, we can shed some light on what the situation is down there and just who or what attacked them."

Anthony had been working over his station ever since they had heard the first call. As they came into the system he sent out a long-distance scan out and a few minutes later the results were in. "No Hostile contact captain, but there is something that hasn't ever been observed here before. There are clusters of positronic signatures."

Summer had sat quiet up until now simply observing and listening. “Positronic? As in robots, or androids?” She looked at Tyrus curiously. “For want of a better word... fascinating!”

Ty returned the look. "Fascinating indeed, and an understatement" he replied as his mind spun with information.

"Yes, counsellor, exactly like robots and androids. Alpha Trionus was so advanced in the Mid twenty-third century then, that Doctor Richard Daystrom studied under them. He was our preeminent computer man at the time and his work is why we have the Daystrom Institute.

Lieutenant Commander Acevedo was not thinking as First Officer, but as an engineer when he spoke. "Doctor Daystrom certainly had his own fascination with robotics, but the circuitry he used in the construction of his robots were entirely duotronic in the mid twenty-third century" stated Ty who stood from his seat and was drawn like a moth to a flame to the science station.

"If Alpha Trionus were making progress towards positronic technology in that time period, they were leaps and bounds ahead of Daystrom. He and Abramson had only just broke ground on dutronic systems in..." Come on Ty he thought to himself trying to bring to surface his boyhood education. "2240 something...'43 I think, but Daystrom had been tinkering for years prior."

Standing near Anthony Edwards, Ty crossed his arms and studied the console screen. "The robots Daystrom could create back then were primitive by our standards today, A3 interface modules and only model 83 logic integrators. The damn things would make the Pakleds look like a think tank."

Taliserra chuckled slightly. The Pakleds had come along quite a lot in the last 20 or so years but still got most of their tech by stealing it. "How many positronic signatures are we picking up?"

After running his hands over the touch-sensitive science station the information popped up and both Lieutenant Edwards knew that Commander Acevedo would have seen it and responded to Captain Tigran's question first "Planetary scans show ninety-seven positronic signatures Captain." With that out of the way, he turned to Commander Acevedo and said "The advantage of being able to focus all your scientific research on robotics, and staying so independent of those around you is you will always be considerably more technologically advanced than those around you. That said you are likely right that during the 2240s they may have been on dutronic technology back then or making so early in roads to positronics, because if your getting visiting researchers coming they normally aren't at the forefront of your technological advances."

"Yes," Ty agreed, "They would certainly be capable of progressing forward and making significant advances. Though it makes me ponder if Doctor Soong was ever on the planet. His footsteps are not remotely accounted for during his life."

Taliserra nodded. "Lifesigns?"

Lieutenant Commander sought to give science some breathing room, but he did not return to his seat at Taliserra's side. Instead, he politely dismissed an ensign away from am auxiliary station often displaying mission operations. Ty was enthralled with getting his own eyes on some of the information, having a look and pulling logs from any Federation starships that had contact with the colony.

Summer spoke up. “There are a lot, that much I can tell you. I can sense that.”

"Sensors are a bit garbled Captain, but I'm reading close to six thousand life signs down there." Min said.

Ty turned slightly at the auxiliary station. "Summer," he called out to the counsellor and gave a nod to confirm that he wanted her to join him at the station he was standing at. He had been so absorbed with the planet and its colony that he neglected to realize he had addresses her very informally by name. The two were seeing more of one another outside of their duties, but were not publicly an item.

Summer smiled as she moved around to where Ty was standing. “Yes Commander?” She didn’t mind that he called her by name.

Ty inched closer to the Ship's Counsellor to where they were practically shoulder to shoulder, and he lowered his voice to a light hush. There was a lot going on around the bridge and he didn't want to interupt anyone. "There's nearly six thousand life forms on that planet, organic, not cybernetic," he reiterated the reported stats quietly.

"Entertain my curiosity," he said to he whispering that bit into her ear. "See if you can sense what they are feeling. Do you read deception...anger?" inquired Ty.

Summer nodded, letting her mental defences down she let her senses reach out. With there being so many lifeforms she was surprised by what she didn’t sense. “For so many lifeforms I’m not sensing much in the way of emotion at all.” She paused before she reached out a little more. “Commander, might I suggest you refine the search to Copper based lifeforms.”

Unsure if Summer was heard by the others, Ty spoke up. "Captain, the Counsellor may have something here. Those six thousand or so lifeforms we detected, they are hardly able to be emotionally sensed by our Betazoid Counsellor though she can clearly determine that we are likely accurate with our population number" Ty stated. "We recommend refining the parameters of our scans to copper based lifeforms. If our theory is correct, you should find most of the lifeforms will still register."

"Carry on." Taliserra instructed.

Ty nodded as it seemed the Captain had nothing further to add to the suggestion, and the First Officer took her words as encouragement to continue their line of thinking. "Lieutenant Edwards, would you apply those parameters to our scans of life?"

"Aye Commander Acevedo!" Anthony said and began to recalibrate the sensors for copper-based lifeforms and a couple of minutes later they lit up!

Lieutenant Commander Acevedo monitored the results from the station he was standing at. "As suspected, Captain. The population of the planet does register as Vulcanoid, consistent with our data and the surveying of the system ten years ago. The colony remains consistent. They are at least as they should be, ruling out chance they were overthrown by Klingons, Orions, or what have you."

"What could be 'slaughtering' them? their message defintely said 'something' was doing it." Taliserra said thinking aloud. "but no hostile ships, no potentially hostile life forms on the planet...." She stood and took several steps forward till she reached the helm station. "Bracca... put us into orbit, Ensign Zhao direct a broadcast hail at the planet."

Min nodded, keying in the comms channels, common frequencies in case standard hailing frequencies couldn't be heard. "Comms open Captain. All standard hailing frequencies including standard colony channels."

=/\= To anyone capable of responding, this is the federation starship Wolff responding to your distress call, please respond.=/\=

The Wolff would not have to wait long for a response. Though the voice that would come through was crisp and matter of fact. "Federation starship, this is Minister Sarel of Alpha Trionus. Your presence here is unexpected, but appreciated. We were uncertain if there would be anyone within range of our calls for assistance, or if our signals were being jammed."

Anthony stood there and wondered to himself the word Jammed had lodged itself solidly in his brain and after a few moments he said to the Screen "One moment please." As he finished he contemplated a theory out loud. "Captain Starfleet and the UFP, okay there are a few cutting edge Scientists that are trying to make Positronics to work but what would happen if a positronic brain had a malfunction and started seeing Humanoids as an infection rather than the creator?"

Ty did not need much time to contemplate that. "Then, Isaac Asimov would be rolling on his grave saying that he warned us" said the First Officer. "If they turn against their creators, they violate Asimov's laws of robotics. We already know how dangerous a positronic brain in the body of an android can be if something goes wrong."

"Thank you Commander that is what I expected the answer to be, and exactly what I think is attacking our copper-based friends down there. I think they have been attacked by something of their own creation." Anthony said not laughing he looked from one to the other of the two command officers as he said "I can unmute the conversation at any time."

Lieutenant Commander Acevedo nodded. "A plausible line thinking, Lieutenant Edwards. If that be the case, we must be prepared to act swiftly less these people become the next Minosians" asserted Ty. "Let's see what we can gather from Minister Sarel?" he added looking at the Captain.

Taliserra listened to the officers chatter as she headed back for the center chair, it certainly seemed like an interesting idea. Eventually she signaled for the channel to be reopened. "What is your situation Minister, we detected no external threats."

"That is because there are not external threats. Our world does not get involved in frivolous external politics or conflicts, and to whom am I speaking?" The Minister had presumed that it was the starship's Captain. "We are having an incident with sophisticated technology."

"This is Captain Taliserra Tigran." Taliserra replied mentally kicking herself for failing to introduce herself. "Define 'incident' Minister, the distress call suggested conflict of some description."

New to the Captain's chair undoubtedly the Minister thought and took a deep breath. It had been a while since they meditated. "An event or occurrence, that is how I believe the Federation would define the term 'incident,' Captain. As for the details of the incident, I would prefer we discuss this matter in person. The longer we engage in this communications frequency, the more exposed my location may become."

Taliserra tapped a button on her arm console to mute the channel. "What do you think Ty? given the unknown situation I do not feel entirely comfortable sending a team down but I doubt the minister would want to give us her position to allow us to beam her up."

Lieutenant Commander Acevedo mulled over the information. One thing I know is you are not going down there thought the First Officer. "It is a bit a conundrum, Captain. Anyone we send down there would be heading into who knows what. Though transporting the Minister up here may be problematic. If she is a target, whoever or whatever is causing problems down there may try to intercept their transport or interfere with it in some way. We'd be putting her life in danger."

"I do not feel we would be attacked in the same manner," he offered. "Though I cannot guarantee that, it would seem that the colonist are their enemy. We have been in orbit without any sort of attempt to fire upon us from the surface or otherwise. Which would leave me to speculate that they either (a) have no interest in harming us or (b) do not have the ability to at present."

"I agree." Taliserra said, she pondered for only a moment, aware of the ministers warning about her location potentially being tracked. "Prepare an away team, assess the situation, first sign of any trouble return to the ship."

"Yes, Captain," replied Ty. He knew the importance of this away mission.

"And keep the Prime Directive in mind." Taliserra added, an internal threat on an independent world would severly limit the crews options.

"Always do," he quipped back. This was not his first rodeo, but the two were still growing accustomed to one another. "If you don't mind, I'd like Ensign Turell and Nurse Kore to join the rest of my away team in transporter room one."

"Whoever you need to take Commander." Taliserra replied.

Lieutenant Commander Acevedo snapped his fingers as he proceeded towards the turbolift. "Edwards, Baka, and Wyse" he added pulling the three from the bridge.

Getting up from her seat Summer joined Tyrus, she was looking forward to finding out just what was going on. She was curious to say the least.

Anthony turned from and was replaced at the science as he did and followed the executive officer toward the turbolift. "This should be interesting."

And from the engineering station, Baka also joined the small team that was leaving the bridge.

Taliserra reopened the channel. "Minister if you will provide us with transport co-ordinates I will send a team down."

"The transmission of our coordinates will be sent encrypted, Captain. Though I am sure your Federation algorithms will be able to decrypt them sufficiently, one would assume" came the Minister's cold response.

"Send us the data Minister, my team will be there soon. Tigran out." Taliserra closed the channel and sat back in her chair.


OFF:

Captain Taliserra Tigran
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph D.
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant jg Summer Wyse
Chief Counsellor

Ens Min Zhao
Ops Officer

LT Dovenice Baka
Engineering Officer