Posted by Lieutenant Commander Magnús Pétursson (First Officer) in Bridge - Main Sim -all hands

Posted by Captain Calvin Marius (Captain) in Bridge - Main Sim -all hands

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Magnús Pétursson (First Officer) in Bridge - Main Sim -all hands
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
(SNIP)
knot in a massive ball of yarn. It would take Reia’s specialized talent and equipment to untangle the one tread she needed to follow to the end. Eventually, she would find the thread had not just one account associated with it but 10. Each of these ended in ten more clearly dissipating into an ONION-type program. Eventually, she would find a single name and a destination.

GM

Reia set to work at a fever pace. The whole thing was knots upon knots of disaster in her mind. She was working in silence but her head was full of noise. Finally, she raised her head and smiled.

“Hah! Looks like I’ve got it. Oh, and what were you going to say Commander?”

• Reia, CIO/Comms

Magnus shook his head “Nothing worthy of being heard” He said with a slight smile.

There came a beep, that indicated a incoming comms transmission.
=^= Ensign Brecker to the Bridge=^=

She paused waiting on a acknowledgement from someone.

=^=Are there any other ships that we can detect within sensor rage? We think that we have figured out what has happened to the Chief and Ensign Bailey. Though the answer leaves us stumpted. It seems as they were about to be transported to medbay, there was a secondary transporter signature that locked on and took them. This signature originated from outside the ship as best we can tell at this moment. We are doing what we can from here to try and determine it’s origin.=^=
Xpost, Ensign Brecker

=/\=Um bridge,=/\= The transporter chief said in a slightly stunned tone. =/\=Ensign Brecker has been beamed off the Genesis=/\=

GM

=/\=Repeat all after bridge=/\= Calvin stated.

=/\=Sir Ensign Brecker attempted to triangulate the signal and the second he locked on the coordinates he went poof. Just like the chief =/\=

“Science, how the hell does that happen? Red Alert… Put the shields up and reverse the course of the signal. I want a photon torpedo firing pattern for that location.”
Calvin Marius CO

OOC: Dont make me play with myself

IC:
“I would not do that if I were you,” a voice said as the viewport ot the bridge filled with static momentarily and then turned to a charcoal gray with the blacked outline of a person filling it. “Don’t piss me off. Just sit tight and I will call you up as I need you.”

GM

It was at that moment that Reia looked up.

“What the hell?” she said unceremoniously. All decorum was basically gone at this moment. Missing crew members, comm traffic that went everywhere, and Ric Rock? No, she had about had enough of this day. A photon torpedo about matched her temperament.

• Reia, CIO/Comms

Magnus tensed as soon as the surpise comm signal came on the viewscreen. He started tapping furiously on his chair console, sending messages to the bridge crew to trace the signal to its source and find out how that was happening. He looked at the Captain, a look of concentration, he nodded slowly ready for further orders.

XO

Magnus’ order came a bit too late, she merely glanced up and nodded in his direction and continued working to trace the signal.

• Reia, Comms/CIO

Calvin stared at the screen with a stony expression. “Do you have a problem with your power supply Mr. Rok or are you smart enough to hide in the shadows because there is no place in hell I won’t hunt you down? Return my crew,” Calvin’s voice spoke with a calm but deadly authority. Nothing in his voice indicated his order was up for discussion or negotiation.

=/\=What did I say about not pissing me off or talking=/\= the shadowed voice spoke.

=/\=And what do you think you are doing=/\= He addressed his comment to the XO. =/\= I can push buttons too. Eeny Meeny Miney Moe=/\=

Suddenly as if by magic, Reia was beamed off the ship and the transmission from their mysterious enemy ended.

Calvin Marius CO

Vanessa sat rigid in her seat. The Genesis was her first ship assignment and so far she had been in an alien conflict that almost killed her and now some whack job was kidnapping the crew and the rest of them seemed powerless to stop it. “My best guess is this is a hobby hacker unless you all have pissed off someone royally and this is for payback. I say this because the other type tends to be looking for a profit of some sort and since none of us are rich,” she glanced around the room, “we don’t have a ransome worth the effort or payoff. I also say a hacker because this is not normal right? Someone being able to take over a ship without firing a weapon?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

OOC: So now that Reia has been spirited away, where TF is she?

• Catt

Magnus turned around as the intelligence chief disappeared, his hand slowly raised of the console =^=My apologies=^= His tone was calm, collected; and diplomatic. He could feel the tension, every muscle taut, ready to leap up at any provocation =^=Although you only mentioned not pissing you off, nothing about not speaking=^= He spoke carefully, whoever or whatever was doing this it was likely not a hacker as Slade suggested, even if remotely controlling a Federation Ship was possible without physical access this almost magical form of teleportation was odd, but then, of course, he could be wrong, better to not guess yet =^=If you are open to conversing I’d like to ask some questions=^= Even though the transmission was out he didn’t doubt that the arrogant creature could hear him.

He made a cutting motion across his throat to the bridge crew, any continued action would be counterproductive.

XO

“Theories,” Calvin asked his XO once the comm lines were cut by the communications officer.

Marius CO

Tom had silently stepped to the communications console Reia had been at moments before and started examining her work to see if she was taken because she might have been about to discover something.

• Tom, IntSec

“Maybe we ask him what he wants. No one does anything without a purpose even if that purpose is insane or not logical to other people.” Vanessa spent 99% of her career just asking those in her office what was wrong. Looking at the Captain, she let out a small breath she was holding. “It is better than just sitting her and getting zapped away at random like a space version of whack a mole.”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Whack a mole,” Calvin gave his counselor a side glance. Her metaphor, albeit odd, was not too far from the truth.

“Can anyone open us up a line of communication with Mr. Rok,” Calvin rumbled out.

Calvin Marius CO

It had only taken Tom a couple of minutes to skim through the Bridge Comms Officer manual after which, Tom when right to work attempting to open or create a comms link with Rok.

• Tom, IntSec

As Tom worked, a signal was detected. The signal was unusual, to say the least. It was an old form of communication called the Morse Code. The signal did not contain words but a series of three short/three long/three short tones for three successive rounds.

GM

Magnus turned in his seat to look at the unfamiliar face of the IntSec officer, he never could get used to not knowing someone’s face, he’d sometimes considered asking th eman to pose for a portrait but decided against it, he’d purposefully left out descriptions in his little coded diary were he wrote down meetings with the strange man, mostly for his own amusement but still it might serve a purpose. “Any news?”” he asked

XO

Tom turned to Magnus.

“Sir, I’m looking at the signals Lieutenant Shandy was working on when she was abducted. I see nothing out of the ordinary except an underlying signal in old Morse code transmitting an SOS in three cycles before it delays then repeats. I’m working on attempting to isolate and locate the signal now.” Tom said turning back to the comms console, his fingers rapidly tapping out commands and sub routines, “Permission to launch a recon probe to triangulate the signal sir?”

• Tom, IntSec

Magnus frowned “It’s risky, might end up losing you over there aswell” He turned to the Captain “Although have Lieutenant Jarvis over there might be to our advantage, I agree with the probe launch” He said, quick decision making might be problematic at most times but they had to be quick on their feet “Best case we might get the area, second best we have another capable person who potentially can avoid detection”

XO

Tom input the commands and launched a recon probe. As he watched the probe gain distance form the Genesis, he momentarily wished for a few IntSec recon probes.

• Tom, IntSec
  The probe launched from the Genesis and began to immediately send back readings. The intell would take hours to unwind as the information coming back would best be described as a knot with signals overlapping and intertwining so that none led to one signal directly. Given time, the team would be able to filter out three signals but it would be a guess as to which one as the real one and which ones were the shadow ones trying to cover up its trail.

GM

As Tom was about to explain the results of the probe…

=/\=For being the brightest on the galaxy how are you all so stupid=/\= Mr. Roc’s voice broke out in the comms.

“Isolate that signal now,” Calvin stated calmly however the anger simmering underneath was only contained by his years of combat where showing emotion could get you killed.

“Mr. Roc I am done with your little games. You are in violation of more than a dozen,” Calvin began in full command tone as if he were about to dress down an incompetent officer.

Marius CO

=/\=I told you if you did not sit quietly and just behave there would be consequences.=/\= A light flashed and Vanessa was gone along with the Captain leaving only the XO and the security chief in charge on the Bridge.

GM

“Shall I continue to work on trying to isolate the true signal?” Tom asked the XO.

• Tom, IntSec

Magnus didn’t answer at first, He took a moment to look at where the Captain had been. He stood up quietly and moved to the CO’s chair then sat down. He crossed his legs and interlocked his fingers “Please do so Mr. Jarvis” He said looking straight forward “Tactical please add a rotating phasing frequency to our shields. I’d like you to use the internal sensor scans of the transporter used to disappear our people if possible. Use the principles for transporter disruption” He spoke calmly, there wasn’t a chance in hell he was going to sit there twiddling his thumbs as his crew and Captain were kidnapped

Ric Roc tapped the controls from his location ready to leave the XO sitting on the bridge alone but nothing happened. A small sneer spread over his face along with a disgusted snort realizing the rotating shield modification was not blocking any more crew from leaving the ship for now. A small ping of the shields would be identified by anyone monitoring the shields from anything trying to penetrate it.

“Do you think that is really going to stop me,” Ric Roc stated for the first time showing emotion other than the supreme confidence of someone in control. “I was a god in the transporter room. I could pinpoint a flea on a tick on a dog. This is not going to stop me. In fact, you are the next one I am going to target. You just won’t know when or where.”

“This might make for an interesting psychological case study” He mused aloud “It’s not uncommon that with technological advancement there is a certain arrogance, viewing those of a lower tier to be less than sapient or being lesser. It’s not unlike the bully who uses their larger build and proficiency with violence to get what they want at the expense of others. As with most bullies, when they meet someone stronger they turn into the greatest of cowards”

XO

“I spent ten years getting bullied by your like. No one saw my genius but they will. Your time is limited along with your crew. In fact, you have four hours. When the show ends so does your crew.” Ric Roc closed the connection.

As the connection closed there would be a lot for the crew to work with including time frame and a peek at the man who now seemed to explicitly state he was not doing this without a purpose but more a vendetta against Starfleet itself.

The length of time Ric Rock has spoken also would help refine the trajectory of the signal. While it did not originate on Betazed, it seemed to be in the Betazed system. Tactical would also find that the more Ric Roc monologued the more accurately they could trace the signal like the holo movies about cops finding the bad guys by bouncing the signal off multiple relays.

The SOS signal they were receiving was too weak to give an accurate location for now. If they were to get closer or the signal was boosted from the source, it would make finding the location much easier.

GM
Tom launched six more probes. With the first one already out, Tom had the seven probes spread out ten thousand kilometers, in all directions, equidistant from each other and centered on the Genesis.

Tom’s fingers flew over the controls analyzing the data, almost as fast as it came in from the probes, trying to isolate the actual signal from the decoys.

• Tom, IntSec

Magnus suppressed a smile, the transporter maniac had slipped up, giving Magnus insight into what sort of man he was. He was the sort of man who took previous wrongs as the right to commit further wrongs upon others “It’s amusing the lengths people will go through to show their brilliance” Magnus continued musing aloud, he waved his hands to get the crew to keep going “Outside of actually doing the smart thing that is they’ll try to show how smart they are by hurting others, but I supposed it’s easier to bring harm than helping, at least for cowards”

XO

Ric immediately broke through the comms without having to be patched through. While it was not completely unexpected since he took over the transporters, it did show that Ric Roc had access to more than just comms. All other systems would show control belonged to the crew except for comms and transporters. “You were not cast aside as a cog in a wheel. Now I will make a fool of those that forget I control the masses.” As if to show his power, the min viewport began to play an image of the command staff as a boy band lip-syncing a cringe-worthy song. “And send,” he raised an eyebrow. “Now you will all be superstars or laughingstocks. Let’s let the masses choose.”

The image that popped up on the viewer was almost enough to break Magnus’ exceptional self-control. It wasn’t anger that almost broke him but pure amusement, he clenched his abdomen to keep from laughing.

There was no point in doing what he did but Ric wanted not just the crew so see but everyone wearing pips higher than a captain that the control of anyone came not through weapons but comms and the perception of the masses.

GM

Magnus slowly raised an eyebrow and his usual cocky grin returned to his face “Lieutenant” He said to the Operations officer on duty “Would you kindly save a recording of that, I believe my cousins would find it highly amusing” The amusement in his own voice wasn’t forced “So societal embarrassment as a weapon, might have been effective against the Klingons a century ago, humans during the dark ages pre-first contact, and never against the Vulcans.” Magnus mused as Tom did his work.

XO

Tom knew that one probe is more than capable of covering the system but seven should give him a very refined quality of information. The ever-increasing distance of the probes would soon cover the system and half yet again in the hopes of finding the true signal and narrowing down its location.

• Tom, IntSec

The longer the XO was able to engage Ric the longer and stronger the trace could be with the SOS signal. If someone was scanning the signal they would find the signal was coming from the equivalent of the Kuiper Belt but in the Betazoid solar system.

GM

“I’m mostly curious Dickie” He said giving Ric his own little nickname “Why not simply ask for whatever you need, It’s always amused me that people try to take when they could just ask, is it an ego thing?” He asked “I understand ego to a point, mine is mostly directed towards my own vanity but the need to humiliate others to prove you are better I’ve never understood that” Magnus continued his insulting tirade, it seemed as if this Ric had something to prove.

XO

“Don’t call me Dickie. My Name is Richard Rochberg,” he yelled out. “You have not be given permission to nickname me.” It seemed the XO had struck a chord with the man and it was no longer tugging on his irritation cord but ready to snap it. “And yell yes by the moons of Centripa I have something to prove. Something you and your kind never allowed me to prove. You were right. Your vanity and the vanity of all those you rub shoulders with in the hallowed halls of Starfleet toasting each other for your vast accomplishments is my problem. Your vanity allows you to not just step on the shoulders of those below you but rise up so far you can’t see past the end of your nose. Was the experiment slightly flawed…maybe but that is science. Whenever you begin tinkering with the minds of people there is bound to be some side effects but not everyone was a vegetable in the end.”

The irritation was turning to rage. “Every time we step into the holodeck our brains are convinced it is real so why not use that to our advantage instead of sending people to die when you can simply switch off the machine? Your crew doesn’t know any different. Tell me who is in the program…you or them and how sure can you be of your answer?”

The anger in the man allowed him to monologue without thinking.

GM

Tom’s work with the probes locating the signal with the faint SOS piggybacking on it, Tom turned on his personal surveillance scrambler and approach the XO. The scrambler was designed to prevent Tom from being detected by the internal sensors of starships. It would also mask the sound of his voice if he spoke quietly.

“Sir? I have tracked a faint SOS signal to a location in the asteroid belt.” Tom said quietly into Magnus’ ear.

Tom then handed Magnus a biometrically locked pad with the location inside the asteroid belt, composition of surrounding asteroids, tactical evaluation, etc.

• Tom, IntSec

It took everybit of self-control for Magnus not to jump out of his skin when the IntSec officer whispered, he hadn’t noticed him approach, he felt a flash of embarrassment and anger at himself for losing his situational awareness in his game of verbal cat-and-mouse. He grabbed the PaDD and read, nodding appreciatively. He opened a notepad function and wrote down “Give orders to helm to adjust direction, get ready for maximum warp to the signal location. Find a way to disrupt it completely so we can transport crew back” He held it so Tom could see then spoke, “The old brain in a vat, we have ourselves a modern-day Descartes.” He said with a laugh he didn’t need to force “It’s funny how when one takes average cognitive intelligence and low emotional intelligence it produces someone willing to use the lives of others as playthings just because of a perceived slight that likely never took place.”

XO

Tom stepped silently to the helm officer and showed the PaDD with the Captain’s instructions and the heading. There was no point in trying to sneak up on the location as Ric obviously had the ship under watch. If Tom knew what kinds of observation was in play he might have been able to figure out something.

• Tom, IntSec

“Perceived,” Ric shook with a raged-filled voice. Flipping a few buttons on his end, Ric transmitted the image of Ensign Bailey lying on what looked like a medical table. “Does her death look like perception or reality? I will let you decide.” As soon as he finished speaking, the small monitor above what looked like a sleeping Bailey flatlined before the image disappeared and the transmission stopped.

GM

Tom pulled out his peesonal assistant device, unrolled it, and sent a tightbeam subspace request to Internal Security HQ for any info they may have on Ric.

-Tom, IntSec

Magnus clasped his hands together to keep from curling his hands into a fist “And is a slight to your intelligence worthy of murder, son?” He asked barely keeping the ice out of his voice “Is your science worth death?”.

XO

The intelligence query made by Jarvis produced a single name: Lt. Richard Rockburn. The report that followed indicated Lt. Rockburn worked in holographic engineering for five years before being dishonorably discharged for numerous offenses such as conduct unbecoming an officer, breach of command, and unauthorized projects resulting in the death of ten officers. The deaths were ‘indirect” casualties, and were not easily prosecuted. That being said, it was odd that there was no effort made to do so.

GM

Tom read over the intel file and once again approached the captain.

“It looks like Lt. Richard Rockburn has been busy. A bad attitude and reputation, causing problems of which he apparently has, or had, connections to keep him out of trouble. It looks as though he was indirectly responsible for the deaths of 10 Starfleet officers. I bet if we could get a proper investigation running on him they would find that he might have had more than an indirect connection to said deaths. He was dishonorably discharged after 5 years of work as a holographic engineer.”

Tom wondered why he had gotten an intelligence file rather than an internal security dossier.

• Tom, IntSec

Magnus nodded slowly “Thank you Tom” He said quietly then turned his attention back to the voice “So tell me ex-Lieutenant Rockburn, does murder excite you?” He asked bluntly.

XO
A low growl rumbled out of his mouth. So far, Rockburn had sat in the shadows. Now his narcissism let him activate the lights in the room he was sitting in. “So you are smart enough to find out who I am. You are not going to be smart enough to find me but kudos on knowing you know who bested you. As to liking killing, one likes to harm people but one can not stop science. One has to move, explore, and take chances. You are the XO. You hold the balance of lives in your hands based on your decisions. You are not held accountable when those under you die due to your decisions. I should not have either. Now with my new benefactor, I am not.”

GM

Magnus frowned at the man’s statement “I am held accountable for my actions especially when they result in the deaths of my subordinates, there are inquires, investigations, and sometimes inquests.” He checked his console to see how far along they were at tracking that man down “The same goes for any and all scientific exploration, it should be led by morals not greed and arrogance” That tidbit about a new benefactor was interesting but he wanted to keep that in his pocket for later.

XO

The tracking had zeroed in on a small moon. It was in the Betazed system but far enough out that a transmission would go unnoticed unless one was specifically looking for it. The tracking was complete and the Genesis had a course that feasibly would take them to their kidnapped crew.

Magnus stood up, walked to the helmsman and tapped him “Go time, maximum speed” He ordered.

XO

The trip to the moon took almost twelve hours. Long enough for the crew to switch out, be refreshed, and re-assume their roles on the bridge. The moon in question looked typical but scans would show it was anything but normal.

GM