Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in The tale of the USS Celeste - Combat Information Centre - Mission Start
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Posted by Commander Ryder Raauhl (Executive Officer) in The tale of the USS Celeste - Combat Information Centre - Mission Start

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Mara Michaels (Chief Science Officer) in The tale of the USS Celeste - Combat Information Centre - Mission Start
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Alan set up his comms station for travel through Gorn space, and turned to face the Captain. “Have the crew of the Celeste established anything about the anomaly, or just put it in a box?”

-Lt Dysart

“I would expect them to have begun preliminary investigations,” the captain shrugged, “although as we all know, these matters are never just a walk in the park.”

“It appears to me that a thorough view of communications from the Celeste would be in order,” T’Mara said.

LtJg T’Mara Michaels

The request for a thorough view of the comms incited an anxious scan of the CIC from Cobb, a yeoman replenishing coffees being summarily dismissed before he spoke.
“Those records are classified at ARU-DELTA-03. But they should answer most of your questions.”

Raauhl had remained mostly quiet for the duration of the brief. “Let’s also see how the anomaly was first contained, if we can replicate it we may not need to neutralise it if it has indeed escaped containment in some form either by causing the crew to become violent or escaping itself. I’d also like medical and science to see if they can come up with some reason behind the anomalies effect, perhaps it’s chemical like an Elasians tear drop which could mean we’d be able to create some form of immunisation towards it.”

• Commander Raauhl, XO

“An interesting theory, Commander,” Cobb nodded in measured agreement to his XO, “most definitely something for our medical and science teams to begin working on.”

Dr. Hellsing was deep in thought “ Captain I am thinking if this thing causes anger and rage and violence it is safe to say that that is what it feeds on negative emotions. And if it feeds on these negative emotions that it causes and other people we might find a way to give it food without affecting other people” Dr. Hellsing pulled out of Pad and started to type on it a little bit.

(I think we can use the bam as a countermeasure in case if containment fails in someway. Because the bam can keep people calm and relaxed)

Dr.Hellsing
Lt. Lance Von Hellsing

“Negative emotions?” the captain’s attention now turned to his engineering chief. “Aye, I would be tempted to agree. But for one small thing. Elysia. I don’t believe there’s a more peaceful and roseate society in this whole damn universe than they.” Fingers raked with exasperation through his long, greying beard. “But maybe therein lies the attraction, all the same?”

A sigh, as from the depths of his unfathomable soul. Then with a quick tap of command codes into a terminal, respite was granted from his own, bearish voice, with the dulcet, honeyed tones of Captain Marie Devereux.

“Captain’s log, stardate 75619.18. Like everyone, I had heard the stories of Elysia and their peaceful, utopian society. I had read the theories on time in their dimension standing completely, or very near, still. I studied the Temporal Investigations reports on a curious atmospheric property requiring minimal energy for action. Whatever the scientific explanation, I had expected to find, in Elysia, an idyllic land with equally idyllic people. To my horror, I could not have been more wrong.
We were wholly unprepared for such anger, such hostility. Our arrival had been at the Elysians own request. But it was an invitation that proved powerless against their rage, with my own officers paying the ultimate price. Lt Briggs…oh god, I don’t know how I’m going to break this to his wife…”

“Captain’s log, stardate 75621.92. There is a temple on Elysia’s highest peak. Some believe it to be the source of this ‘atmospheric calming’. We have been unable to verify such a theory with scientific methods, but what we can report is that individuals inside the temple seem somehow immune to the anger consuming all else. My security chief, Lt K’Aleth, and his team have been tasked with bringing all council members to the temple, a difficult, and incredibly dangerous, task.
But where calm has been restored, the Elysians are beginning to talk. Of a strange creature, lurking in the shadows of their city, described as small, furry and impossibly fast. I find myself recalling a prior ARU incident with Reman Imps…”

“Captain’s log, stardate 75624.66. Our Recovery Task Force are scouring every inch of this city for the creature. But with so little information to go on, I fear their task akin to finding a needle in the proverbial haystack.”

“RTF Commander’s log. We’ve lost Jenkins, Owens, Rasczak…they turned weapons on each other. Shujimi and Breckinridge…we had to physically tear them apart. I refuse to put any more of my team at such risk. We’re just puppets out there, with this anomaly pulling our strings!”

“Captain’s log, stardate 75627.40. Our Vulcan counsellor, Narenya, has proposed an interesting, albeit dangerous, idea. She believes the creature’s influence to be entirely psychological and suggests that, with meditation and mental prep, Vulcans, and others with sufficient strength of will, might withstand the anomalous effects. For a limited time at least. It goes against everything I believe as a Captain to use my crew as guinea pigs in this way, but in truth I see no other viable options and our fatalities continue to grow…”

“Captain’s log, supplemental - it worked! A small RTF team, led by Commander Narenya, were successful in luring the anomaly into a trap and are in the process of transferring it to more permanent containment. Lt Belk’eh drew inspiration from the Elysian temple for the containment design - quadruple-reinforced tritanium walls with an exterior of decorative oak, lavender and climbing jasmine. As for the Elysians, they have grieving and a great deal of reflection now to do, so I think we shall take our leave. The ARU have ordered us straight back to base and have asked for hourly containment readings on the anomaly. I, for one, will be glad when this thing is off our ship, once and for all. Captain Devereux out.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Lance was listening to the captains logs “sir I do believe that the BAM can help the crew find this thing and not come under its influence” I can rig a few Mobile devices together to help” he said

Dr. Hellsing
Lt. Lance Von Hellsing

“It’s most definitely worth a try, Lieutenant,” the captain nodded to his CE. “Have a word with Lt Commander Surda about its potential integration into RTF field kit.”

Adam listened to the log with interest, if the Vulcan thesis was correct anyone with the ability to control their emotions could stand a chance, briefly he entertained the thought that he himself might be able to but quickly crushed it. Although he had impressive mental control over his emotions his own problems with rage would become a risk. He started to plan for disarming himself as well as preparing a containment protocol for other dangerous members of the crew.

CIO

Cobb could almost hear the cogs working overtime in the Icelander’s head. On the threshold of offering a penny for those thoughts, Zachariah held his tongue at the last and settled for offering his CIO a nod.

=^= Main Engineering to the Captain. We have yellow status on the partial systems, including the Warp Core. However, it’s working just fine. Possibly false readings. I’ll monitor them from here closely. Please gradually increase the speed. Engines ready, Sir. Little out. =^=

Ens Little, Eng

After hearing the ensign jump the chain of command he check his systems =^= ensign next time work the problem yourself or ask one of the other crew in engineering. You don’t bypass me and call the bridge. Now press the 3 red buttons to your right. That will get the reading back in the green and you have failed your first training test =^= he the slammed his fist down on the consul to shut off the cam “ sorry about that captain I’m going to give that ensign Reminder of the chain of command” -_-

Dr. Hellsing
Lt. Lance Von Hellsing

=^= Aye Chief. Was there a miscommunication here? I called you already, Sir. Hope the comm is working properly this time. =^=

Ens Little, Eng

Lance pressed the coms =^= NE Jackson please move ensign little to the Machine shop I will deal with him later =^= as he shit off the com he started to rub his forehead “This ensigns are going to give me gray Hairs” he said out loud

Dr.Hellsing
Lt. Lance Von Hellsing (CE/CA)

Brief laughter like a tsunami over crumbling hills, before Cobb regained a diplomatic countenance and added, “Don’t be too hard on the lad, eh, Dr Hellsing? His enthusiasm is admirable if naught else?”

“There are a few points of interest in the Celeste logs,” T’Mara said. “The Elysian temple was located at the highest elevation. That could imply a heavier than air chemical component since the highest concentrations would be at the lower elevations. If that is the case then the presence of tritanium in the temple and the containment system’s design would be irrelevant.”

“You think the Celeste crew fell for a red herring in their containment design?” An arched eyebrow brought skepticism that the Celeste’s engineer could be so easily tricked, but a wry smile acknowledged the acuity of Lt Michaels’s mind and Cobb’s own interest in her intriguing hypothesis. “You could be onto something there.”

She paused for a moment. “Would the Elysians choose such a design for the protection of their temple but not their other buildings if the anomaly had been a present in the past? I also find it of interest that some of Celeste’s crew was subject to the influences of the anomaly… the logs mentioned several individuals who were strongly affected while others had to physically separate them. Why didn’t an act involving physical contact impact the individuals doing the separating?”

T’Mara paused again. “Do we know the species of the affected crew members? Perhaps this is something which only affects humans and other closely related species.”

LtJg T’Mara Michaels

“We can find out,” the captain nodded, hands orchestrating a request for the Celeste’s crew manifest into his terminal. “Although I’m interested on your thoughts regarding the Celeste’s Vulcan counselor and her claim that meditation could keep the anomaly’s influence at bay?”

Raauhl ever watchful, enjoyed absorbing the information around him. He rarely interrupted of gave the first response often taking in his surrounding before pouncing to him every conversation or debate was a dance and it wasn’t always his turn to lead. “These are all good question Lieutenant, I’d like to explore them a little more in depth with you. I dont think a briefing is going to give us the answer we want but it helps us focus our efforts.” He nodded to her acknowledging her open questions and in turn her way of thinking.

“Lt Hellsing lets see if engineering can put together some containment ideas along with our RTF friends, perhaps some technical efforts to block out the effects and to contain the anomaly and lets have medical come up with something more chemical or biological. We’ll come together again before we arrive. Captain, Anything else to add?”

• Commander Raauhl, XO

“Aye, good call Commander,” Zachariah acquiesced. “I reckon we…”

The captain’s words smothered by a shrill, staccato alarm, MacReady silenced the warning with a fist as he rose slowly to his feet and drew all attention to the forward viewscreen.
“Well, there she is.”
The USS Celeste. Smaller than the Leviathan, but still grand enough to briefly capture breath, the starship hung before them like a model suspended from the heavens by invisible string. From the exterior, no signs of activity could be seen - every deck, every window opening onto a cavernous and isotropic black.

Fragile silence descended upon the Leviathan’s CIC, MacReady pushing buttons like they were formed from splintered glass.
“Environmental conditions appear to be in the green. But Captain, I’m not getting a single reading of sentient life.”

“Commander Raauhl,” Zachariah locked eyes with his second in command, “prepare an away team. Something has happened to that crew and we need to find out what.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Alan did a cursory sweep for distress signals or buoys left behind before… whatever happened to the Celeste. If it hadn’t been so unnerving to look at the drifting ship, it might have been a truly beautiful sight. Whatever happened, the ship was still there, and whole. Somehow that seemed worse than a rough encounter with the Gorn or some such.

-Lt Dysart