Star Trek RPG - Mission #4: "Codex Aelyrr"

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah determines that both transmissions were from the same general direction; she cannot tell with any certainty how far apart the sources were from each other, or from the Yorktown. The second transmission seemed to be from a stationary source, however. Both signals were equally faint. The Communications console's interpretive subroutine generates a transliteration in seconds. The UT is still working on a translation - nothing yet, although there were some repeated words or phonemes. The High Caitian language seems a promising lead, but it is still more dissimilar than similar to whatever language she is now hearing.

Mahmoud looks in on Graham. "How's it going, Booker?" he asks.

[general_urko]

Graham looks up from his carefully arranged row of phasers and shrugs. "Well enough. Unless I incinerate my own leg or blow a hole in a bulkhead I should be able to complete this assignment with flying colors."

[anyrose]

Between monitoring her panels, Collins sends Graham a message: So? How was dinner? Did you get all smoochy? Kid sister needs to know

Graham doesn't find phaser testing tedious: in some ways, it's a clearly necessary task with a steady, occupying rhythm.

But he doesn't mind Collins' message interrupting his flow. Rightly or wrongly it encourages him she's on top of her...problem.

He messages back: Like that's something I would tell a kid sister??? Well, dinner was great. Yeah, there was some 'smooching.'

Collins smiles when she reads Graham's reply. She sends another message: you gonna see her again? Maybe we can double next shore leave.

Graham shakes his head and chuckles. I'll have to tell Collins she has some weird ideas about spending time with family--even if some dude's all right I doubt I'd want to spectate while he made out with my sister...., he thinks.

He pauses a moment before replying. I hope so. Actually yes unless she comes to her senses first. Sure, why the hell not.

Great. Collins messages back. Catch you later. Collins swivels in her chair just enough to see Onn from the corner of her eye. You'd better be good to him, she thinks, even though she's pretty sure she'd lose if she and Onn ever came to blows.




Collins by anyrose, Graham by general_urko

[choie]

One stationary, the other in motion. A starport? A planet? Kylah ponders while she puts the recording and her manual transcription on hold. Perhaps the stationary object is a large vessel, and the other is its exploratory shuttle, or something similar?

She scowls. Eighteen minutes seems like an awfully long report for a shuttle to make to its mother ship. Her finger taps the arm of her chair as she thinks. Or... maybe the non-moving thing is an incapacitated vessel, and the other ship is traveling to assist it.

Really, it could be any or none of these guesses. She will likely have to wait two days to find out--and even then, the sources of these signals could end up leaving the Yorktown's path altogether, and this mystery will remain unsolved.

...Unless Velir's device (as she has come to think of it, though Dr. Brold would certainly take umbrage) can indeed be used to identify the objects. Kylah's mood lifts. Oh! I have not told him there are two now. Perhaps it will make a difference?

VELIR --

Again I am sorry to bother you but thought you should know: I discovered a second signal, this one stationary--perhaps a planet or ship? I am unsure, but it was almost certainly communicating with the original source. Might the fact that this could be a planet be useful in Dr. Brold's making the decision?

Unfortunately the signals have gone quiet. I am trying to wrest some information from their messages, but with an unknown language and no context, the odds are slim. I will continue to try. It may very well be nothing important.

Still, it is exciting to have 'met' these beings before anyone else has. I find it an honor, as well. Does that make sense, somehow?

Please thank Dr. Brold for considering using the device, regardless of his decision. And thank you for asking. -- yours, KYLAH

She sends the message off about two seconds before it registers that she was foolish and forgetful enough to have included such a personal salutation.

"Oh no, no!" she moans in despair, shutting the communicator and pushing it away from her on the workstation--as if physically distancing herself from it will make any difference. Ending the note this way was entirely natural for her, it is how she has sent many messages to him. But to do so now, given the fractious state of their... connection?

Face burning, Kylah tries to forget her stupidity. Maybe Velir will not notice; he is busy and may not even read her entire message.

With this dim hope, Kylah again looks at the computer's transcription. High Caitian, High Caitian. Why the similarity? Pure coincidence? She sighs and returns to the database's meager records on the Caitian planet. How far is it from here? Might the ancient Caitians have emigrated from... whatever civilization to which these signals belong?

There is so little information on them. It does not say whether they are native to their planet. Maybe any immigration to their current planet happened so long ago that the records do not include it?

Kylah chews on her thumbnail and mulls over her options. They are few, as far as she can tell. First, she sends a note to Thalen following up to inform him about the second signal and what her research and the computer analysis has uncovered thus far--which is not much. She finishes with asking for his advice, if he has any. Likely he will tell her to write it all up so he can report it to the Captain in whatever daily briefing occurs among the top levels of the ship's hierarchy. As Thalen said, it hardly warrants much attention; just one of many standard findings during the Yorktown's travels.

Nevertheless, until Thalen tells her otherwise, she will continue to create her own transliteration/transcription and then compare it to the computer's. But first, she must follow up on this High Caitian issue.

She sends a request to the computer to translate the words most similar to High Caitian. If this were High Caitian--however slim the possibility--what would these particular words mean?

[Elendil's Heir]

Mahmoud laughs. "With a roomful of phasers, better flying colors than frying colors." After Graham texts back and forth with Collins, he asks, "Everything OK?"

Thalen says, "Keep at it, Ensign. You're doing just what I'd do. Draft a report by the end of your watch for me to share with the Captain, please."

Archeological records and genetic studies suggest that the Caitians did not originate on their current homeworld, but very little is known of their prehistory. Emigration from another planet is an occasionally popular but unproven theory. A subspace message to Cait, sent from the Yorktown's current position, would take just over two days to get there. With each passing minute, it falls further behind. There is no closer Caitian outpost or colony.

Running the messages through the High Caitian database, which is itself fragmentary since it is a long-dead language, comes up with possible matches for the words way, course, through, codex, sacred and enemy.

[choie]

Kylah almost smiles at Thalen's response, both because of his praise as well as the accuracy of her prediction.

A report by the end of her watch. And when is that? She glances at her chronometer to see how much more time she has.

This transcription is taking longer than she had hoped. The language is difficult to render through the standard Federation Phonetic Alphabet, with some sounds too faint and too complex to accurately render in either diacritics or typical letter combinations.

It is hard enough to listen to one foreign language and write it down in another; but harder still is that Kylah thinks in Elasian. Juggling this many languages is vexing, to put it mildly. She would have an easier time writing in Elasian, but that would be of little use to the rest of her department. No one she knows is fluent in Elasian, not yet.

More frustratingly, her left wrist--badly injured twice in less than a month--is sore and less flexible than it used to be, making typing slow and awkward.

All this means she is unsure whether she will be finished by the end of her watch. Besides, part of her is holding out hope that the transmissions will begin again, and she does not want to miss out. Perhaps Thalen will let me work longer, she hopes, massaging her tired wrist.

Now: what to do about the Caitians? Two days--more than that--means that they might encounter the source of this signal before the message ever gets to Cait. And that does not count the time it will take for any response they send to me. Kylah considers the options and decides there is no harm in trying; maybe her earlier thought is correct and the Yorktown will not cross paths with this particular source after all. The vessel (if it is a vessel) could change direction at any time. Why not chance it? I can lose nothing by the attempt.

Kylah searches the system's database for the identity and contact information of the Federation ambassador to Cait, as well as any history specialist in the embassy. Whomever she finds will quickly be sent an abridged copy of the broadcast, an explanation of its source, and a politely worded request asking for assistance in determining whether this could be some distant relative of the Caitians--and, of course, help in translating the language, if possible. Finally she asks her contact(s) if there is a sacred text specifically referred to as a codex in any of the current or past Caitian subcultures.

That word--codex--intrigues her. As linguistics and the study of other cultures are her particular areas of interest, Kylah would be fascinated to examine a holy book from an utterly unknown civilization. Much can be revealed about a people by the scriptures they revere... even if the rules are no longer followed. Sometimes especially if the rules are not followed.

Meanwhile, enemy is worrying indeed. Particularly when added to sacred and codex. Could this refer to some kind of conflict between religions, even a crusade of some sort? She is well aware of the bitter irony that few battles are bloodier than those in which the combatants believe their causes to be sanctioned by different deities.

Sending the message(s) off, Kylah decides to set the transcription aside for now so she can start her report to Thalen. Her interpretation could be very wrong--the translator is not perfect and even if it were, the words are devoid of context--but she is certain that Vargas and Singh will want to know if the Yorktown is speeding toward a holy war.

[CatInASuit]

"Oh come on Veled, where's you sense of adventure. Besides, we will not be looking for some subspace entities, this will be attempting to find the very real sources of some transmissions. This would be an ideal test over a range to see what it can find, preferably a planet. It can detect a planet can't it? Don't worry I'm sure that Dr Brold and the Captain will be interested."

Rangin turns to the far end of the Cargo Bay, "Hey, Mr Zweller, do you think it's ready for a test?"

While waiting for an answer, Rangin gets ready to contact Dr Brold and the Captain who should be in a meeting together at this time.

[general_urko]

Graham chuckles. "Yeah, that was Collins, inquiring after my, uh, romantic life." He shakes his head and holds up both hands in a disarming gesture. "Don't be jealous, I didn't give her any more details than I gave you."

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah has another three hours remaining on her watch. She realizes that Cait, being a Federation member world, does not have a Federation ambassador assigned there. She could ask an expert at any of the great Caitian schools or cultural institutions, or, for a faster response, make inquiries at the University of Anubis, not nearly so far astern.

Zweller says, "We're not in range of FGC 23 yet. What did you want to test it on?"

Mahmoud snorts. "A likely story. All right, I'll see you around." He leaves.

[choie]

Kylah shakes her head at her forgetfulness and quickly checks the identity of the top-rated museums and universities on Cait, as well as on Anubis. She will then direct her messages and the brief snippet of the recording--aware that the whole thing might be confidential--to the heads of the schools' linguistics and history departments, and the museums' archivists.

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah sends her subspace queries to the Caitian Cultural Heritage Center and the University of Merrien, on Cait, as well as to the appropriate staff at the Museum of All Worlds and the University of Anubis, on that planet.

[SidonianGal]

At the helm, Nia gets a prickly feeling on the back of her neck, then a gentle 'pop' as her own personal armor quietly hardens and turns from skin to scales down her spine. She knows this sensation: it's an evolutionary holdover, a sixth sense her ancient relatives used to protect themselves from predators.

In short, Nia can tell someone is looking at her.

She swivels slightly and in her peripheral vision catches Lt. JG Collins giving her a side-eyed glance before quickly returning to the security panel. Nia raises an eyebrow. "Everything good over there, Mr. Collins? There's nothing I need to be aware about, is there?"

[general_urko]

Graham whistles off-key, immersing himself in detecting the slightest defect in any of the armory's phase I's. This things are underpowered enough as it is, he muses, mentally acknowledging that humans went into battle with clubs for thousands of years and relatively speaking he had little cause to complain taking one of them up against a Klingon or Orion.

Still the "deuce" feels so much better, he thinks.

That leads hims to think about Nia...calbrating her phaser...He shakes his head clear and re-focuses on his assignment.

[anyrose]

"Five by five, Lieutenant." Collins replies unashamedly, and turns back to face her panels.

[SidonianGal]

Nia hides a smile, then wonders: why bother? A good report from security is perfectly deserving of a happy response. "Excellent. Just what we like to hear."

[Elendil's Heir]

On the Bridge, a yeoman brings a datapad to the First Officer, who looks it over and grimaces. He rises from the big chair and says, "Mr. Collins, I have to go below. You have the conn."

Graham works his way through the phasers. Most are fine, but he finds two with variances in their charging coils that are just a bit outside of acceptable Starfleet parameters.

[anyrose]

"Aye, sir." Collins says as she moves to the big chair, once again aware that there are more senior officers on the bridge, ones likely with more ops experience than she. She sits, and looks around the bridge, wondering what the others are thinking.

[CatInASuit]

"Well, if I knew what it is we could be scanning for, I wouldn't need a sensor," says Rangin with the voice of an angel to Veled and Zweller. "Think of it as a dry run before testing proper, I certainly don't want to turn up at FGC 23 without at least one proper test carried out in preparation for full testing. Why, that could be considered being almost negligent in not making sure its fully prepped?"

Hearing the sound of the communicator going again, Rangin reaches down while looking at the pair to see how much further convincing they need. Veled would obviously not want to bother Dr Brold in any way, but from what he remembers of Ens. Zweller from his Academy days, Rangin thinks he used to be more interested in taking an opportunity.

Reading through the message, Rangin scans it briefly and can feel a small sense of elation at the note giving a perfect reason as to be carrying it out. "Well, it appears that Comms have noted two signals, one of which is stationary, as in a...." Rangin's voice tails off as he reads the last of the message. Slightly stunned by the familiarity of it, he finds it hard to continue, before snapping it shut to try and dispel the words in front of him.

"...err, yes, a planet. " Rangin fumbles the words out, his mind still thinking back to Kylah's signoff. "I think it's a good a warmup test as any. We're heading into uncharted space, so bio-sensors aren't going to be immediately needed, if we run the prototype for a little while. It certainly would be good to make sure it's connected properly above and beyond the tests...and if we are heading into something new, might be good to find out in advance."

Rangin considers his last words and wonders if he should send a message back to Kylah to find out if there is anything new he is going to be finding out tonight, but it can wait until tonight. He's not going to necessarily get the same luxury with her.

"So, if I contact the Captain and Dr Brold, are you in?"

[Elendil's Heir]

Veled and Zweller look at each other. Zweller grins, shrugs and says, "Sure, why not?" The Gnalish scientist nods.

[choie]

Kylah completes her report on the signal discovery, now having appended that she sent for assistance. She reads it over to make sure she left nothing out, but although she is satisfied with it, she does not send it to Thalen yet--hoping, still, that she will be able to contribute more. And maybe the signals will start again, she thinks.

She sets the datapad down and returns to her transcription effort, listening carefully but working as fast as she can. All the while she wonders: will Velir be able to get a positive response from Dr. Brold?

[CatInASuit]

With a grin apparent, Rangin contacts the Captain who is supposed to be in a meeting with Dr Brold to ask permission for this particular test of the scanner, outlining the arguments above. He will, of course, ask for Dr Brold's permission and oversight in this situation. The only downside is likely to be the loss of Bio Scanners for a brief period of time, while the test is running, but if they are required it would be easy enough to terminate the test.

[general_urko]

Graham separates the two phasers and makes the appropriate maintenance log entries.

Here comes that medal, Vargas, he thinks, chuckling.

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah keeps working but makes no breakthroughs.

Dr. Brold and the Captain come down to the cargo bay. The scientist says, "The sensor module is designed for radio astronomy. It would be of no use for subspace scans." He is becoming agitated, and his muscular tail swings back and forth. "This is more Starfleet trickery. You are setting me up for failure, Ens. Rangin!"

The Captain says calmly, "He's doing nothing of the kind. He has an idea, and it just might work. No one will hold it against you if it doesn't, Doctor, but in any event, your objection is noted." She turns to Rangin and asks, "How exactly did you intend to use the module in this situation, Ensign?"

Graham finishes his work. Lt. JG Ryan Jones, the Security duty officer, looks at his report and smiles. "Good work, Mr. Graham. I've got nothing else for you to do here. Want to go on patrol, or do something else for the rest of your watch?"

[general_urko]

Graham looks thoughtful. "Well, lieutenant--a massage, maybe followed by a pedicure would be great," he offers hopefully, raising his eyebrows. "But failing that, sir, I'm always happy to take a turn on patrol. Just tell me where to go."

[Elendil's Heir]

Jones smiles politely. "Patrol it is. Choose your route." He looks at the bulkhead chrono. "You've got about an hour and a half to go."

[CatInASuit]

Rangin nods in appreciation of the Captain's words. "Thank you Captain. The purpose of this tests it twofold. The first is to actually ensure that all the steps we have taken so far have worked and that it will be ready for full testing when we reach our destination. I would hate to get there and find out that we had missed something and testing had to be delayed," he looks across at the agitated Gnalish, "in which case you would have every reason to be annoyed Dr Brold." Rangin attempts to soothe Dr Brold's nerves.

"The second is to take advantage of the opportunity that has presented itself to us. While I am more specialised in bio-sensors, I am well aware of what this sensor is capable of and would not consider asking for it to be used for sub space scans. Instead, given that one of the sources of the communications appears to have been stationary, my suggestion is to use Dr Brold's prototype to see what is in that area and determine if there are any bodies located there, stellar, planetary or otherwise. If there is, then sensor should be able to pick them"

"The main outcome I am looking for is to perform a dry run and show that the sensor is well on its way to being configured properly. But an opportunity to find something new is presenting itself, and I believe we should grasp it."

[general_urko]

Graham's tempted to return to the forward primary hull as his beat--it would give me a reason to stop by the Bridge, and say hello to Nia...

But he decides his libido shouldn't override his long-time practice of getting to know a new ship inside and out. Aft section and water tanks and waste reclamation is a poor substitute...but I haven't checked them out in ay detail yet.

"I haven't worked a beat in the aft section of the ship yet, sir. It'll help me get to know her better."

[Elendil's Heir]

Jones nods. "All right, Ensign. Primary hull or secondary?"

The Captain says with a glance at Dr. Brold, "It would do no harm to try. Carry on, Mr. Rangin."

[general_urko]

"Secondary," Graham replies, deciding he doesn't know Jones well enough to make a joke about the ass end of the ship yet.

[Elendil's Heir]

"Very well," says Jones. "Draw a phaser-1 and communicator from the Armory, and carry on."

[CatInASuit]

"Thank you ma'am," Rangin says with almost unadulterated delight. The possibility of finding something new and giving the prototype sensor, not to mention talking round the Captain who could so easily have ignored his suggestion, gives him an added burst of excitement. "I'll get right on to it."

Mentally ticking off the things he needs to do, he looks at the sensor first. "Mr Zweller, Veled. Please can you check the sensor is ready for the test scan. Dr Brold, if you would care to oversee to make sure nothing is awry."

Flicking open his communicator he messages Kylah back. Kylah, permission granted to use the sensor. Please send the coordinates of the signal and we will see what we can see. Velir

Heading to a comms panel on the wall, and slightly out of the way, Rangin contacts the Captain's chair, expecting to get Cmdr. Vargas as the Captain is next to him. "Ensign Rangin to the Bridge. The Captain has given permission for a test run of the prototype sensor in Cargo Bay four. Requesting clearance to do so. Impact will be the loss of bio-sensors for the duration of the test." He stands straight waiting for the gruff voice to echo from the wall.

[anyrose]

Before replying, Collins looks to the crewmen at Science and Security "Are we good with that?" referring to Rangin's request.

[general_urko]

Graham pats the phaser one at the small of his back, confident it is well within optimal specifications. Before he stows his communicator he sends a short message to Nia.

Hope you're having a good watch. I'm off on patrol to make sure no alien parasites have attached themselves to the anti-matter storage pods. Booker.

Might as well start at the bottom and work my way forward, he thinks, heading for deck 23.

[choie]

Kylah perks up at the sound of Velir's voice, but the news that they are jumping to perform the sensor test worries her--particularly due to the possible translation of the words within the message. Biting her lip, she decides she had better send the report sooner rather than later. She opens her communicator and tries to think of whom she should contact. She decides on Velir, her supervisor and the Captain.

"Ensign Kylah to Captain Singh, Lieutenant Thalen and Ensign Rangin. I have not been able to determine the precise coordinates of the signals; they are too far away. I know the approximate location and can send those to you." She transmits the information to Velir. "Further, the few words that have been translated--the language is unknown but a few words match with High Caitian--indicate some potential cause for concern."

She glances down at her datapad nervously, and simultaneously transmits the report to Thalen and the Captain. "Captain, Lieutenant, I have just sent the report to you now. Ensign Rangin, do you know if our activating the sensor will be noticed by the subjects?" Her gaze focuses on her transcription. "I just wonder what might happen if they are made aware that we are observing them."

[SidonianGal]

Nia is still smiling at the message from Graham and is about to respond when she hears Ensign Rangin's message followed by the question of the BCDO. Who is, yet again, Lt. JG Collins.

Earlier, when Vargas left, she had to wonder, Damn, who is Collins related to, anyway? Gotta be someone major to explain why she's always the pick of the litter for the big chair.

Regardless, Nia defers to the younger woman as required. It rankles a bit, because Nia knows she's up for the task--she's already captained several shuttle missions--but really, she prefers flying to merely ordering others to do the work. As long as the orders are sensible, Nia will follow them dutifully without question.

After the Bridge's science and security officers respond to Collins, Nia will ask, "Sir, does the sensor require a stationary ship, or require us to move in any new direction? Or are we good to go as we are?"

[Elendil's Heir]

Zweller and Veled begin checking the module's systems together. Zweller says, "It'll take another 20 minutes to get it set up properly."

Dr. Brold is clearly not pleased by the Captain's decision, but says grudgingly, "Perhaps sooner. Let me see...."

The Captain watches with interest, and has an occasional helpful comment herself. She clearly knows her way around a sensor module.

Ens. Russell at the Security console on the Bridge, and Lt. Antonov at Science, anticipate no problems with the test. Antonov has read up on the Brold prototype and tells Collins, "We have no current use for biosensors here in deep space, so interference with their functioning now won't matter."

Graham descends to the bottommost level of the ship, Deck 23. The antimatter storage pod area is behind several codelocked and very secure doors, which he is able to go through with his Security password of the day. The ovoid pods are built into the bulkheads, each with its own control panel and emergency-jettison pad. A low hum fills the long, narrow compartment. Lt. Timur Dosmukhambetov, the Yorktown's Chief Computer Officer, a heavyset Kazakh man with a magnificent mustache, is there with two technicians in red Engineering coveralls. He explains, when Graham asks, that he is overseeing a standard periodic upgrade to the pods' software.

Rangin does not believe that the two signal sources, whoever or whatever they are, will be aware of the scan. Antonov concurs.

Antonov also hears Onn's question and volunteers, "We should be able to maintain current course and speed without interfering with the test, ma'am. It'll be a more realistic test that way, anyway."

[anyrose]

"In that case," Collins decides "go for it." She sits back a little, disappointed in herself that she didn't think of that question first. Another reason I'm not ready for command.

[CatInASuit]

Mildly surprised at the sound of Lt. JG. Collins voice coming through the speaker, it takes Rangin a moment to respond. "Thank you ma'am. I will keep you informed of our progress. Rangin out."

Shaking his head in slight amusement, Rangin wonders how Collins ended up in the Captain's chair given there is, at least, one Lieutenant on the Bridge. Then again, maybe the Juniors are getting a brief taste of the responsibility while all is quiet. Still, it is curious Collins didn't ask to be kept up to date. Perhaps Vargas would be perched on her shoulder and remind her when it is necessary. The thought of the aquilined nosed officer perching anywhere, only amuses Rangin all the more.

While the others prep the sensor, he enters in the coordinates that Kylah had sent him, all the while hoping that this time, something good will come of their interaction. Finally, he checks over the partly installed bio-sensor to make sure it doesn't affect the experiment.

When preparations are complete, Rangin will give an update to the Bridge stating the experiment is about to begin, before getting Dr. Brold to do the honours, standing back and waiting for the results to come in.

[general_urko]

Graham asks what options there are for manually ejecting the anti-matter storage pods if the computer is offline.

Once he thanks the lieutenant for his answer, he heads to the machine shops. Potential source of home-made weapons, if it comes to that, he thinks,

[choie]

Kylah stands up, eyeing both her monitor and the one in the station beside hers, which she set up to narrow down the possible locations of the signals. She hopes something this vague is enough to be useful to Velir and the others. As she looks over her findings, she distractedly speaks into her communicator again. "Ensign Kylah to Captain Singh and Lieutenant Thalen. Excuse me, ma'am...sir. But can you confirm receipt of my report on the possible matching words with ancient High Caitian--and their translation? I am continuing to seek more matches but have not yet found anything further."

She waits for a response. In truth, she is very nervous at having instigated such a test, and wishes Lt. Thalen were here. She glances around the room, trying to find one of her other superiors, perhaps Garcia or Soerjosoemarno, to... well, to confirm that she has not made a mistake. Thalen was supportive and encouraging, and seems to think she's done everything correctly, but the reality of having created a situation where a new technology is going to be tested because of something she found... it is highly daunting.

And what if something goes wrong with the sensor? she thinks, a chill falling over her. Is this putting anyone in danger? The Captain? Velir? The possibility makes her throat go dry.

[Elendil's Heir]

With Dr. Brold's help, the sensor module is ready in about 15 minutes after all. All of the necessary data is input and, with a nod from the Captain, Dr. Brold activates it. After a few moments, data begins flowing across the display screen.

Lt. Dosmukhambetov says, "Each pod has a self-contained manual-eject control that can be activated either here, from the Bridge, or from Engineering. I've never heard of it having to be used, though."

There are a dozen machine shops on Decks 19 and 20, where Engineering artificers, specialists and shipwrights can make virtually anything, large or small, that is not already carried aboard the starship. Some of the shops are empty, but Graham sees about several red-clad techs at work in others. There is nothing weapons-related that is immediately apparent.

Thalen responds to Kylah: "Yes, I got your report, thanks. I think the Captain is otherwise engaged. You'll be hearing from us if any followup is necessary."

[CatInASuit]

Rangin takes a back seat and let's the experts start to work the sensor, clarifying the results coming in and refining the search. He also keeps an eye on making sure the sensor is operating correctly and that the bio-sensor alongside is not impacting anything.

[general_urko]

Graham decides not to interrupt anyone's work, but makes a careful study of the machine shops and the layout of each deck. If we had to fall back to an "Alamo" these shops filled with tools and raw materials to build stuff would be a lot better than a conference room, he muses. Of course, it wouldn't do us much good without some skilled techs...

When he's finished making the rounds on decks 19 and 20 he heads toward the water storage tanks.

[Elendil's Heir]

The prototype sensor module appears to be operating correctly. Biosensor functions are severely degraded, however, just as with the Gagarin tests.

The Yorktown's water storage tanks are large and nearly featureless, on either side of the several low-ceilinged corridors Graham visits on the two lower decks. No one else is there. Graham almost thinks he hears gurgling all around him, but he knows it's probably his imagination.

[general_urko]

Graham runs his hand along a storage tank.

I wonder if Nia would like it hear, with all this water...yeah, that you can't see. Or hear except for your hallucinations, Booker....don't be an idiot.

He' not that far from the Arboretum, where Lt. Bennett--Cecilia-had been reading. Like...like Jane. She even looks a bit like...

Don't let the gurgling go to your damn head.


He decides to head to deck 17, thinking a walk around quarters and interacting with people is a good idea.

Before he does he sends a message to Nia.

Checking the water tanks. Made me think of you.


He sighs Other things too, he thinks, but he lets that lie.

[Elendil's Heir]

There are quite a few more people out and about on Deck 17. In the corridors Ens. Graham sees several people he knows, or at least with whom he is on a nodding acquaintance. No crime wave is apparent.

[SidonianGal]

After thanking Antonov for his response to her question, Nia does her periodic check of the helm console to make sure everything is copacetic. She then looks over to her current partner at Navigation (who is...?) and cocks her head questioningly to make sure all's well.

She is curious about this test that's being conducted, and hopes Collins--or Antonov, the sensor expert--will get updated and share some details with them. The current Bridge crew is not chatty, and she's somewhat restless. If this were her crew, she'd encourage conversation. No reason for such silence when is running perfectly as expected, and they're just zipping through empty space marking time until they reach their destination.

About to toss out a possible area of conversation--whether anyone saw the concert a couple of nights ago--Nia feels her communicator buzz against her hip. Lifting it up, she's surprised to see another message from Booker. Damn, should've responded to him. Hope he doesn't think I'm brushing him off.

But his comment about the water tanks makes her lips twitch, hiding her affectionate smile. She types back:

My, quite a sentimental creature for such a hardbitten security man, Mr. G. I'm glad it wasn't the waste reclamation plant that inspired thoughts of me.

Seriously, thanks. Staring at the stars up on this very silent Bridge is giving me plenty of time to think of you, too. (It really is tomb-like up here. Looking forward to being much more lively with you tonight.)

Nia sends the message on its way. And this time, she doesn't bother hiding her smile.

[CatInASuit]

Rangin makes a few brief notes from the bio-sensor about the impact it is having. It is a shame that it is not fully set up to provide lots of data from the internal monitoring that he is looking to add in, but at least he can see with his own eyes that it does have an impact.

Then he heads across to the others gathered around the console for the prototype, "Dr Brold, how does it look?" he enquires politely while trying to gauge the mood of the group, "Is the sensor working as you would expect and have we been lucky enough to find something new?"

[Elendil's Heir]

All is well on the Bridge. Lt. JG John Brooks, a middle-aged American male, is the navigator this watch. He is pleasant but a man of few words, Onn has found on previous watches.

The prototype's interference with the Yorktown's biosensors is much as it was in the Gagarin tests. Rangin is able to get lots of data but still feels no closer to an answer. The others in the group - the Captain, Dr. Brold, Veled and Zweller - are calm and professional.

Dr. Brold replies to Rangin, a little gruffly, "This is not what it is designed for, as I said before, but it is working as it should. Let me see...." He studies the readouts carefully as data continues to come in. "There is no radio-astronomy source at or near the source of the original subspace transmission, but there is a red giant star near the source of the second."

[choie]

With her search for any superior officers in the Communications Center turning up empty, Kylah exhales and tries to calm her nerves. She sits back down and looks over her completed transliteration, comparing it to the computer version. As she does, she adjusts her earpiece, hoping to catch some new activity from the mysterious signals again.

It is frustrating to feel so left out. She found the signals, she has helped interpret... some of them... possibly. Will she get credit for the discovery? Or blame, if it turns out I have unlocked a Pandora's Box? The thought of the ancient myth she learned while at the Academy reminds her of the partially translated words. Codex. Sacred. What could this mean? Some holy book. Imagine reading such a thing. So much can be learned from cultures by what they worship...

But then there was Enemy. Thinking back on the messages she heard, they were not angry. They were not anything, in fact. She has no idea if they were living voices or some computer AI reading out code. Kylah does not like remaining ignorant. It reminds her of the virtual wall that Fellim Palver placed around his mind, making it impossible for her to breach. As much as she hates being overwhelmed by too much information--the way she was with the Hwuen back on OCIII, or the first two days after her mugging--Kylah is just as frightened when her empathic ability turns up... nothing.

I have grown too used to eavesdropping, she thinks, her gaze flickering down in embarrassment. Why must everything be all or nothing? When will I learn moderation?

She sighs and looks at the datapad on which she wrote her report. It concerns her that neither the captain nor Thalen are taking her warning seriously. I suppose since the signal sources are two days away from us, there is probably no danger. But... how can Captain Singh or Lt. Thalen know any of that unless they read my findings? Foolhardy.

With a shake of her head, Kylah returns to stare at the readout and her typed transcription. After some thought, she asks the computer to listen to her as she repeats the words aloud, using the transliteration, and to alert her to any matched translations in any language, particularly Ancient High Caitian. Perhaps the UT will recognize words when she speaks them more clearly.

Besides, any slight differences in Kylah's pronunciation might mimic the natural language drift from... whatever this language is... to Ancient High Caitian. Ironically, a mispronunciation could result in a more accurate a translation than the original message.

If nothing else, it is better than sitting hear listening in vain for a new signal or waiting to be told if her discovery has led to anything promising.