#9 An Odd Reading

Posted on Mon Jan 22nd, 2024 @ 5:28pm by Captain Tore Bjorgo & Lieutenant Commander Billi & Lieutenant Ainkara "Kara" & Lieutenant Griffon Resch "Nazgul"

Mission: https://starbasem69.myrpg.space/index.php/sim/missions/id/19
Location: USS NAZGUL
Timeline: current

ON:

After travelling at warp one for 17hours, the USS Nazgul was fast approaching its destination: the star system of Unre. Alpha shift was just coming on, with Gamma shift setting their stations to standby as the crews switched out.

Captain Bjorgo came onto the Bridge from the port side lift, which was designed to spin around and deposit crew in the small corridor just outside of the Ready Room. On Nazgul the Ready Room was just that. One end was the Captain's person workstation and a small lounge area between that space and the main conference table, which sat in the center of the room. The other portion of the room, opposite the Captain's area and closer to the other end of the table opposite the Captain's conference chair when a command staff meeting took place, was the CIC (Command Information Center). The Ready Room was open for department heads to confer in CIC, or have meetings together when the Captain was not present or, when he was.

Bjorgo came onto the Bridge as per his usual, full of exuberance and smiles. "Good morning, people." He noted that all his Alpha folks were now where they belonged as he sat down in his chair and heard the greeting returned his way. "Miss Jazmin, how much longer until Unre?"

Jazmin Al-Sahir glanced at the chronometer denoting ETA. "Twenty-seven minutes, Captain. Give or take."

Billi came up on Tore's left to stand beside his chair, giving a light giggle. "I still can't believe we're going to look at a comet, Tore. Talk about 'make-work'."

In response Tore glanced her way with his own grin. "We do what we must, Billi. Casual work is still work, and it will be a nice change of pace. Easy going and free of stress. I think it will do the crew some good..."

"Captain," Resch spoke up from Tactical, interrupting the Captain. "I'm picking up a beacon, Sir. But, this close to the Unre Expanse, it's a tad fuzzy. The computer has analyzed it and determined that it is a distress beacon, but one that is unknown."

"Unknown?" Bjorgo's eyes went to Griffon, his head turned slightly left to do so. "Nothing in the database?"

"No, Sir." Resch responded. "With the way it repeats the computer made the designation based on all our data regarding distress beacons from across all four quadrants."

Billi walked over to stand behind and slightly to the right of Resch, looking over his shoulder. This allowed the Captain a clear view of his Tactical Chief's left side, which faced him, while Number One took a look at the monitors. "He's right, Captain. The transponder signal is not a known designation."

Resch gave a smile and chuckle. "I believe I said that, Number One."

Tore grinned at that as he watched his two Bridge officers give each other cheeky grins and snide looks, all in fun, of course.

Turning his chair the other way and aiming his gaze at Science, Bjorgo addressed his Science Chief. "Lieutenant Ainkara, anything on sensors that may be producing the signal?"

"Not as of yet, Captain." Ainkara responded, adjusting her consoles many functions. "If Mister Resch can confirm I believe that the beacon is emanating from the comet." The Voran woman looked towards Tactical, and Tore swung his chair facing back that way.

"Lieutenant Resch, do you concur," he asked.

After a few moments of dialing in his own console, Resch gave a few slight nods to back up his positive answer. "Aye, Sir. The beacon seems to be centered on the comet." He did not look towards the Captain, his hands and eyes still working to collect more data.

Bjorgo set his chair forward facing as a query escaped his lips. "Can anyone tell me why a comet has a distress beacon? Or, better yet, why a meteor has one?"

Jazmin popped off. "A ship in disguise...maybe."

Ainkara spoke up once more. "As we get closer and I can bring the sensors to short range, high intensity, we should be able to discern fact from fiction, Captain."

"Mm-hmm," Bjorgo let out as he sat in thought for about ten seconds. "Alright. We continue on our trajectory. Jazmin, once we're on approach to Unre secure from warp and set us at half impulse. No need for permission, just an announcement."

"Got it, Captain." Jaz answered.

"Number One," Tore went on. "Get an away team selected with EVA suits and away gear on standby. If this does turn out to be some kind of manned vehicle we'll need to be able to respond quickly."

"You got it." With that said to her Captain, she then patted Resch on the shoulder. "I'll have your gear ready, Griff. As Security Chief you're first on the list."

Resch gave a nod even as he looked to his screens during his response. "I'm always ready, Exec."

The minutes passed by and Jazmin announced their approach vector to the Unre star system, dropping the USS Nazgul to half impulse so they could enter the system with plenty of time for sensor scans before pulling up alongside the comet.

Ainkara continued to scan the system even as she reduced the sensors as she had said; short range, high intensity. She had tied in with Lieutenant Resch and what she scanned in regards to the beacon signal, with the Security Chief relegating one of his monitors to that task. She saw what she needed to, and then something more. "Captain," she said, still dialing in her scans while she gave a report. "The signal IS emanating from the comet, but NOT from the comet itself."

That caught Bjorgo's attention and he spun his chair to angle her direction. "How so, Miss Ainkara?"

"After several scans of the comet, adjusting and re-scanning for clarification, it appears that the beacon is coming from a ship attached to the comet." Ainkara explained.

"A ship?" Bjorgo asked as he got up and walked to her station to look over the top of her head at the data, Billi now beside him. "Any designation on the ship?"

"Not yet, Sir." Ainkara responded. "There is an odd signature coming from the comet and it is interfering with our sensors. I can only surmise that whatever the composition of that meteor is, it has something to do with it. Permission to join the away team, Number One."

"Granted," Billi said. "So, what you're saying, Kara, is that there are elements within the meteor that are causing sensor degradation?"

As he name was shortened, Ainkara turned her chair enough to look back and up without neck strain. "Kara? Curious," she said, not knowing how to respond to her name being turned into a nickname, or shortened in any way. It was a social norm that a Voran was not used to. "But, to answer your question, Number One. That is precisely what I mean."

Tore's gaze met Billi's. "Possibly a harvesting vessel? Mining meteors for exotic minerals and elements?"

"Not unheard of," Billi said. "But, rare. If that's the case, Captain, then they need our help. It's hard work, but honest, and anyone willing to work that hard for a living needs to be assisted."

"Agreed," Bjorgo responded. He touched Ainkara on the back of her left shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Keep at it, Miss Ainkara. Get us all you can by the time we arrive alongside."

"Of course, Captain." Ainkara turned herself back to her station.

Bjorgo walked back toward his chair. "Jaz, steady as she goes. Get us alongside the comet."

The USS Nazgul was set on her course, plowing through space to reach a curious situation.

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