The investigation continues...

Posted on Sun Dec 13, 2020 @ 10:31am by Commander Ajani Carter & Lieutenant Commander Ethan Brash & Lieutenant Narisa
Edited on on Sun Dec 13, 2020 @ 10:32am

Mission: Episode 1: On Stranger Tides
Location: Transporter Room 1/Pirate ship
Timeline: MD 03 (early Hours)
1626 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

The small Cardassian built ship was now clear of hostiles and was stabilized in the Tractor beam of the Eagle. The battle damage had been minimized by the most excellent targeting by Lieutenant Sanok. Even so there was a mystery to be had, why the relatively large crew had all been found asphyxiation and why there was a powerful subspace transceiver array.

"So" Ajani said after explaining this to the three officers before her. "This is you job to work out what is going on. Alpha Fire Team is still aboard, and they will remain with each of you. Now this ship is not much bigger internally than half a dozen Runabouts so you wont really be out of ear shot of each other."

She smiled encouragingly, "Brash, work out what the subspace array is for, it is much too powerful for a standard communications system."

"I'll get right on it!" Ethan declared, hands-on-hips as he stood in place on the transporter pad.

"Narisa, please try and determine why they all died the way they did. You may beam the bodies to the Eagle when you rule out any pathogens. Check the life support logs also."

"Sir, if there is the slightest chance of infection, i insist we go over in protective suits." Narisa stated firmly.

Carter nodded "Okay" she had dropped the ball on that one "Okay, while you are there check over the strike unit as well, They were not in EV suits when they did their sweep."

Narisa sighed and turned to an ensign from medical. "Set up the quarantine zone. When those people return they beam directly into it."

The Ensign nodded and headed off.

"It wasn't a consideration at the time" she said, but conceding it should have been "We will revisit the protocols regarding boarding actions for the future" Carter shrugged a little, "But by all means, EV suits." Ajani looked over at the transporter chief and nodded. The Older NCO opened up the lockers along one wall, half a dozen EV suits were hanging from the lockers.

"You both clear on your missions?"

"Oh, definitely, Captain!" Ethan said, his back to her as he began pulling one of the suits off the wall. "Go into the haunted house and check out the spooky stuff." He said whilst hopping about as he pulled his legs into the gear. Clearing his throat, he rose back to his full height, confident. The helmet fell down over his face before he could finish saying, "Sound about right?"

Carter closed her eyes and sighed 'Why had she attracted so many of the fleets oddities' "Yeah that's about right" she said. 'Coz the best ones are a little crazy' she reminded herself.

He fiddled a little more with the helmet before it slid and clicked into place, retaking his previous position on the transporter pad. Ethan gave a thumbs up.

"The paperwork I have to file when you die is inconvenient." Master Chief Hannis commented in Ethan's direction, deadpan, as she stood next to the transporter chief, checking the information on her PADD. "So try to avoid that."

"Yes, mom." Ethan mocked.

Narisa rolled her eyes and finished pulling her suit on and checking it out.

"God speed" said Carter and nodded in the direction of the chief, "Beam them over." With the standard high pitch hum the pair of officers dissipated, a few seconds later a beep on the console indicated their safe arrival.

"I will be on the bridge, keep an active lock on everyone over there, "Master Chief, make sure Ethan doesn't kill himself" she said with a smirk and a wink before heading back to the bridge where she could monitor their progress.

Etzel nodded to Ajani, "As always, Captain."

[["Captain, we have beamed in. And are beginning our checks."]] Came the report from the Chief Medical Officer.

"Rodger that" Carter replied. She was just stepping on the bridge and ordered on the main screen the data that the away team was gathering, including body cams.

Narisa moved to the bodies with her tricorder open and began preliminary scans. As she finished each scan she placed a transporter tag on each corpse and moved on. As she moved on the body was beamed to a special room off of medical which was under strict quarantine and her medical team moved to commence autopsies.

She began to speak as she did so. "Numerous dead. What happened here, happened fast and they were unable to contain the pathogen." She turned "Strike team beam back immediately. I want them in quarantine and tests done immediately. None of them rejoins the ship population until I am 150% certain this will not affect the crew."

The deck plates didn't quite feel right beneath his boots as Ethan moved down the corridor. He swept his head-mounted flashlight about as he entered the alien cargo bay, finding himself curious about it for several reasons. The humming fusion reactor was begging to be investigated, and who better?

"Approaching the... strange-looking secondary power source." Ethan called over the comm. He pulled out his tricorder and began taking detailed visual and internal scans.

"Don't linger." Came Etzel's voice over the open channel.

"I know," Ethan replied. "I'm just being thorough." It took several moments before he continued, "Okay, I'm done, here. I'm heading to this ship's version of Engineering."

The deck creaked all around him as he walked. It was probably the effects of the tractor beam that was holding the entire ship in place, leaving stress fractures along the aging deck plates. At least, that's what he told himself. The other option: that it actually was haunted. "Oh, goody." He murmured under his breath at the thought.

Several minutes and a full deck change later, Ethan called over the open channel once more. "Eagle, I've found what I believe to be this ship's version of a black-box. Preparing to take it back with me."

"Okay Ethan, Narisa has requested the strike team be put in quarantine so beam the black box into a force field." Carter said. "The strike team mentioned that the ship had decompressed, can either of you confirm this?"

"I can." Ethan replied, "There are some leftover logs that weren't wiped when the ship committed... well... seppuku." He then added, "On that note, I'm very confused. Why would they even bother with a virus when decompression gets the same results? Dead is dead."

The CMO's voice came over the channel. "Whoever did this may not have done the decompression." She said "It could have been the crew. For example, Stardate 41209.2, the USS Enterprise D came across the SS Tsiolkovsky, after being given orders to find out what happened to it. The Tsiolkovsky was discovered adrift in space, its bridge open to space due to an open emergency hatch, with all hands lost. The Crew were infected and did the decompression themselves."

From the Bridge, Carter joined in "If they did it themselves" she echoed "Or someone else did" she mused. "Ethan, can you check their transmitter. A thought has come to mind."

"Checking..." He replied. Several moments went by before a low whistle was heard over the comm. "This subspace transmitter has a third-party power source supplementing the vanilla hardware. The signal strength is far beyond specs."

"Yeah, there was an incident back in the early years of Starfleet, prefederation days. A ship named Enterprise had foiled a plan by the Romulans of the era to destabilize the region. They used a drone ship that could mimic other vessels. While I don't think this is the Romulans again someone might have used something similar" she was guessing, but the facts fit thus far.

"If the crew decided that attacking the Eagle was a stupid idea someone else could have vented the ship and then made an attack run from a distance over subspace?" a questions more than a statement.

"Well, isn't that a dreary picture..." Ethan commented. "Also a very specific one. Have you faced enemies like this, before?"

She smiled to herself. "No, But while I was aboard the Venture the Captain insisted we learn the Federations history with the Romulan's. I over done it a little, I went back to every encounter with the Romulan's by every Federation race, even those prior to the formation of the UFP. Of course..." she trailed off as she considered something. "If you are both done over there come back to the ship. The Devils Brew will take custodianship of the attackship. I have passed on your warning, Doctor" she added.

"I've got everything I need. Transport, away!"

Narisa sighed as she finished tagging the bodies. "Beam me out too."

"Bridge to Transporter room, beam the away team into the quarantine area" She nodded to the duty operations officer who opened a channel to the Devils Brew. "The attackship is all yours, please know that we have taken aboard the bodies and my CMO has stated that they might be infectious, please keep this in mind when continuing your investigation" She considered just blowing the thing up but that wouldn't be useful, the Brew could take the time in scanning the ship with some very powerful sensors, plus a science ship was on its way that could also help.

"We got it Commander" replied Commander Hawthorn the XO of the Brew. "We will keep you informed on what we find, Fleet made it understood that you have a mission and we are to assist." He smiled "Don't go getting into too many fights without us".

"Me?" she asked "I'm not one to get into fights" she winked and closed the channel. "Helm, reel in the shuttle and then move us away ready for warp."