Distress Call
Posted on Fri Nov 27th, 2020 @ 11:01pm by Captain Maia Sterling & Lieutenant Steve O'Carroll & Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran-Blake & Commander Ryan Blake & Lieutenant Commander Havri Belbre & Lieutenant JG Nishu Yalet
Mission:
The Thorion Conundrum Mission Brief
Location: 2/3'ds the way to Thorion 4
Timeline: Day 12 Stardate 239411.12
Epilogue:
Captain Arwella of the Orion Pirate ship Death’s Domain with three stolen Klingon B`rel-class Birds-of-Prey, the Invictus, the Money Pit, and the Devastator were cruising to the Saurian convoy less than three lightyears away from the Thorion star system. They were loaded with mining equipment as the Saurians had learned that Thorion III was the source of rich Pergium deposits. There were four medium freighters in the convoy purchased from the Tellerite mining consortium capable of warp 6 when empty but since they were at capacity only capable of warp 4. The Death’s Domain had jammed all long-range communications.
Death’s Domain made challenge ordering the convoy out of warp or they would be fired upon.
In response the freighters fired on the Death’s Domain but all they had were class-V phaser banks, which were ineffective on the Death’s Domain’s shields. However, the disruptor arrays that the Death’s Domain threw back at the lead freighter were more than enough to knock out the shields and shield grid of the lead freighter.
Captain S`Lor ordered the convoy to peel off in four directions. Three of his freighters were still warp capable, suddenly several burly Orions beamed aboard. The last thing he saw was three Birds-of-Prey decloak and knock out the other freighters.
The Orion pirates had struck again; this was the seventh such attack in the last three weeks. A few escape pods managed to escape. As soon as the freighters were hijacked, their warp drive was restored, and they warped away leaving the eight escape pods in the middle of nowhere. Once they were gone communications were no longer jammed and they collectively sent a distress call.
End Epilogue
[ON]
Captain’s Log Stardate 239411.12
The U.S.S. Leto is on course at warp five to the Thorion IV Star system. The ship has been cruising at warp five for the last six days. My ChEng reports that all systems are running 5x5. An unusual aphorism in this day-and-age but I think I can live with it. Ship and crew are performing wonderfully. Lt. Yalet is in sickbay with a torn right shoulder, apparently going left when she should have been going right while playing paresis squares. I took her off the duty roster until tomorrow the Doctor did hir usual great job repairing the injury. Other than a few settling in adjustments – which I expected as we did not get an opportunity to do a shakedown cruise – everything else is nominal. Sterling, Maia A, Commander, USS Leto Commanding Log out.
Maia sat in her chair on the bridge, the holographic viewing screen forward. They were nearly two-thirds of the way to Thorion IV and expected to be there in 2 days.
She was settling into the routine of day-to-day command and her yeoman brought her sweet creamy coffee. She did have tastebuds after all.
Suddenly the sensor alarms went off. They were receiving a message of some type.
“Mr. Blake, What do you make of that?” Maia asked
Ryan checked the readings on his computer console display at the Mission Ops. II station. “Transmission is on the emergency frequency. Seems to be originating from a star system starboard of our current course.”
Lt. Brannon arrived on the bridge when the alarms sounded. She checked the console. “Captain we are picking up a distress call coming from bearing 078, Mark 14 distance approximately, 1.2 lightyears.
“Thank you, Lieutenant, helm alter course to 078 Mark 14 increase to warp 7” Maia ordered.
Samuel heard the order, “Altering course to 078 Mark 14 and increasing to warp 7, Aye sir,” and quickly input the course correction and punched it. The Leto shot ahead like a bat outa hell.
Sheena stepped from the shadows of the lift, “problems captain?” she inquired.
“We seem to have picked up a distress call, this area is known to have pirate activity. Especially along the commercial routes. Starfleet no longer has enough ships to patrol this area as well as we used too.” Maia said.
“Interesting, is there anything on long range scanners?” Sheena said looking at Ryan. “Starfleet is thin in this sector so maybe a good idea to look into it quietly” she added.
::Meanwhile::
Nisha got up in her quarters she was running late to check into security she went to shower before putting her uniform on.
::Bridge::
Lt. Brannon hit her communications badge, =/\=Lt. Yalet to the Bridge, ASAP.=/\=
She continued to work the controls on her console, she wanted to get as much information as possible before they arrived.
“Captain may I suggest we go to Yellow Alert. Since we don’t know what is going on at the location.”
“Wise precaution. Yellow alert.” The captain ordered.
Lt. Brannon is all business and pushes the Yellow Alert button. The lights start flashing all over the ship.
Ryan tapped into the long-range sensors and began a scan of the target area. He expanded the scans to include a one lightyear radius. “Captain, source of the transmission appears to be eight escape pods. Sensors are also picking up what appears to be several ships about a half light year from the escape pods and moving away at high warp.”
“Now that is something indeed. Hijack and dump the crew in pods. Sounds like an old Orion or Maquis trick. Pick up the pods first? See what the occupants have to say. They might give us some good intelligence on who attacked and what was taken, “Sheena said, sitting next to Maia.
“Out here Number One? So close to Orion space? Maia asked. Ironically, Orion’s tend to enslave the crews, no I think these few got away in escape pods. The commercial routes are patrolled, sounds to me like a hit and run operation.” Maia replied.
“Well out here, you have to admit anything that will happen, will, and we’re going to have to be ready. This is the Leto’s maiden voyage, and I know all the kinks are not out of the systems yet” Sheena said softly to Maia.
“Mr. Blake, try to hail the escape pods. Let them know we are here and that they should prepare for boarding.” Maia ordered.
Ryan began transmitting to the escape pods on the same emergency frequency. =/\=Escape pods, this is the USS Leto. We are inbound to your position. ETA 16 minutes. Please advise of any persons requiring medical care.=/\=
=/\=Leto. I am Trask, we have eight injured.=/\= came the reply.
Meanwhile down in sickbay Doctor Tamara was working on some medical PADDwork when s/he noticed the yellow alert.
=/\=Sickbay to bridge, what’s up?=/\=
“Doctor, we are responding to a distress call prepare sickbay to take on boarders, up to 32 possible.” Maia replied.
Ryan cut into Maia’s response to Sickbay. “Doctor, Lieutenant Blake here. Eight confirmed injured. Send medical personnel to the main shuttlebay for triage.”
Which was it, eight or 32? =/\=Thanks for the heads-up bridge, I’ll be there myself. Any word on the types of injuries we’re expecting? Battle? Bad-day-in-engineering? =/\=
=/\=Probable combat trauma. Though exact details are unclear at the moment=/\= Ryan turned to Maia. “Captain, with your permission, I would like to go to the shuttlebay and get the survivors settled.”
“Yes, Mr. O’Carroll you’re with him.”
“Yes, sir” Steve replied.
–Sickbay–
Meanwhile Sylestia wondered into the room, she looked over the doctor’s desk with a pleading expression.
Tamara knew hir daughter, s/he didn’t have to guess what she wanted. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I’m not sure what to expect, it could be dangerous, I’ll call you the instant I need help with psychological trauma or survivor’s guilt.”
--Engineering--
“How’s that comms array?” Jamie asked her purple ensign. Still hadn’t gotten her name.
“Working alright so far,” the purple ensign said in a cute, girlish voice. She had the same pointed ears as a Vulcan, strangely enough.
“So 5x5,” Jamie said with a nod, taking it into account. “Okay, we’re apparently coming up on something and I’d like to get a little more information. Ensign, you remember that bidirectional comm infiltration program I showed you?”
“Uh, yes sir,” the ensign replied, getting a cute, confused expression on her face.
“Okay, well, load it into our comms. If the mystery distress ship answers our comms, it’ll start infiltrating their system and sending engineering data back to us. Very innocuous, about 70% of the ships out there don’t think anything of it, but at least we’ll know what we’re up against once the information is decoded and translated.”
“Yes sir. On it.”
K`Rin stepped around the corner, “Lt. Dougherty, do you need me to see the escape pods? There might be something like residue which could give the identity to who they fought with. Maybe I could take Lt. K`Ruuras with me to oversee the work?” she said, as her tail nervously swished behind her.
“Good idea check the pods, and see about downloading the logs so we can go through them forensically,” Jamie said, considering the ensign. “Good idea, K`Rin. Make sure to send a copy of the data to Sciences.”
"Understood ma'am" she said, pulling K'Ruuras with her. Stopping out of sight, "C'Tirr come on we got work to do" !'Rin said purring softly as her tail swished quickly. She was glad that the Chief had allowed them to work together.
C'Tirr Turned and followed her.
[End]
