Resurgens Actio

Posted on Mon Feb 28th, 2022 @ 11:48pm by Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Commander Finchley Kerr & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant Commander Sandra "Phantom" Risa & Lieutenant Commander Thriss Kla'ren & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Lieutenant Niali Korial MD & Commander Jennifer Baldric
Edited on on Tue Mar 1st, 2022 @ 2:16am

Mission: Paranoia Nebula
Location: USS Sunfire
Timeline: Current

[Bridge]

On the bridge Aurora was getting a sense, a stronger one now. Something was coming at least that was how it felt. “It’s coming ... something’s coming Savar! I can feel it ... it’s coming for us!”

Savar looked as his wife, lines of concern appeared on his face at her outburst. "Aurora." He said calmly and firmly. "Get control of yourself. What is it you sense? What is coming for us?" He asked trying to keep her calm all while fearing she had succumbed to the paranoia that had felled Baldric and Kerr.

Aurora shook her head. “I ... I don’t know!” She gave Savar a worried look. “I can’t explain Savar, maybe I’m just ... crazy!!”

"I do not believe that at all Aurora. I believe you are sensing something and it has invoked fear upon you. You must remain rational. Do not let it best you. Can you tell me any more of what you sense?"

Aurora took a deep breath, closing her eyes she focused on calming her fears using her Vulcan side. She had only truly started utilizing her Vulcan half since bonding with Savar. Her breathing calmed as she opened her eyes and looked at him. “I can’t explain what I feel Commander, it’s ... elusive. It makes me feel ... afraid.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry I can’t explain any better.”

"Do not be sorry Aurora. You have given me valuable information. Whatever you are sensing feeds on emotions, fears. It is why you feel afraid. continue to work on calming your thoughts, Aurora." Savar replied to her.

“Dr. Korial to Commander Savar, Commander Finchley is well enough to return to the bridge. One symptom we have discovered common to all is a slight buzzing sound prior to the onset of the attack. The more I see of this I am sure that is what it is an attack by some intelligence coming from the nebula. Korial out.”

"Thank you, Doctor, you have provided valuable information," Savar replied crisply. He then tapped his combadge "Savar to Risa and House, return to the ship immediately do not venture any farther. I repeat return to the ship now."

Sandra finally recovered from her panicked state when she heard the order to turn tail and return to the barn. Hitting her com, "House we are outta here NOW!" She banked left and waited for House to do the same.

He'd still had comms open to both Sandra and the ship, so he didn't need to hit anything. Though Dean shook his head when she pulled back. He actually pushed forwards just enough to get barely at the apex and get full readings. After that he did then completely stop and flip the fighter head over heels. Pushing the boosters to barrel away from it.

The doors of the turbolift opened. Finchley gingerly walked out onto the bridge and across to Savar.

"Doctor Korial has cleared me for duty Captain, permission to resume duty Sir?" he asked.

"Permission granted Mr. Kerr, please take your station and welcome back. "Savar replied to Kerr, glad to have another experienced officer on the bridge.”

"Thank you Sir, I'm glad to be able to return" Finchley replied.

Aurora was focussing hard on keeping whatever was out there out of her head. Instead she focussed on her Vulcan teachings, which up until now hadn’t seemed to matter that much to her. “Captain, I believe there’s something out there. Something our sensors simply are not picking up. It’s strong and it’s getting stronger, which can only mean one thing ... it’s getting closer.”

"Thank you Aurora. Focus your mind on what it is you are sensing. Are you able to obtain any more information on how to deal with this unknown entity?"

Aurora tried to focus but every time she got close her fear levels spiked so much she had to retreat. “I ... can’t get a good reading ... it’s too ... strong.” She shook her head as she looked towards Savar. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

"No apology is necessary Aurora. Continue to monitor the situation.'' Savar replied calmly as he tried to find a logical explanation for what was affecting the crew and the visions they were experiencing.

[Computer CORE]

In the large echoe chamber that was the core, Bonnie sat monitoring systems and calculating functions. She envied those on the bridge who had a purpose, who had a job to do in order to keep the ship safe.
As she ship moved toward the Nebula a feeling in her stomach had her nervous in a way she couldn't explain, almost to the point of anxiety, but for her, even this felt high, felt wrong.

Then the ship had stopped and began backing off allowing her nerves to settle. But when they did she began hearing a strange buzzing sound. It was subtle but it was enough to trigger a memory of when she was younger. She could see them. Her papa had warned her not to venture into the abandoned house alone. But she was intrigued and defiant and so she ventured in anyway. As she ventured forth, she braved the basement staircase where she could also hear a faint buzzing sound.

Thinking it was the electrical box under the stairs she swung around only to come face to face with a nest of bees the size of a 6-foot humanoid, handing from the staircase. She realized her own movement down the states had stirred them and the only way out was to disturb them again. Eyes on the hive, she wasn't watching her footing and she tripped, landing on a piece of plasterboard just below the hive.

They began sensing her movements as a threat and swarmed her. Then, just as now in the CORE, Bonnie lay on the floor, arms flailing and screamed an ear-piercing scream for help.

[Bridge]

Finchley had returned to his console and began looking through the streams and streams of data that had been collected in his abscence. Perhaps there was something...anything, that could shed even the slightest light on what was affecting the crew.

A thought occurred to him, something one of his Academy tutors had said in an astrometric lecture. From what he recalled, the tutor had said that 'at times we only see what we want or expect to see, but what if we were to look for the unexpected?'

Changing the scan settings on his console, he once again began scanning the sector they were in. This time, something rather unexpected came up!

"Sir, I changed the scan settings on my console and I think you should have a look at this," he said to Savar.

Savar moved to the upper level of the bridge until he was standing alongside Commander Kerr. "What have you discovered Commander?" He asked.

"Sir, those are coming from the extreme low ranges of the scan levels, they're radio, microwave and x-ray's" Finchley said. He stood back from the console and pondered a moment, then said "It's my understanding that most of those waves tend to travel in straight lines, don't they?" he asked.

"Your understanding of waves and how they travel is correct Mr. Kerr. What is the point you which to make?"

"If that's the case, couldn't we track where the source is coming from?"

"Indeed we could Mr. Kerr, make the necessary adjustments you need to track these waves. I must stress, we need to keep the ship and crew as protected as we can to lessen the crew falling victim to the visions that have affected Commander Baldric and you at least temporarily."

"Yes Sir," Finchley said, starting to make the necessary adjustments as asked "but this could also be a breakthrough for Doctor Korial as well Captain, in regards to what could be causing the visions some of us have been having. If she knows what to look for, she could suggest guards against the radio, micro and x-rays affecting us, stop anyone else falling foul" he finished.

"A distinct possibility Mr. Kerr." Savar acknowledged. "Please keep Doctor Korial apprised of the situation and ask her for any recommendations she could make to protect the crew."

"Aye Sir" Finchley replied.

=/\= Korial to Cmdr Saver, to advise you that Lt Durnell has been found in the Core with the same symptoms. She is now in sickbay sedated. As of this time Cmdr Kerr is the only person to have spontaneously recovered=/\=

Savar accepted the news stoically. "Thank you Doctor, please continue to keep me advised of her condition as well as any solutions in dealing with the current problem."

"Commander Kerr to Doctor Korial. The Captains asked me to make you aware that whilst I was running scans on the lower level ranges, I came across the fact radio waves, microwaves and x-ray waves being radiated from the area around where the Ferengi ships were. Could this possibly be something that's causing the visions some of the crew have been having?" Finchley asked.

“This is Korial, yes Commander radio waves and microwaves could certainly be carriers, the buzzing sound could be the connection with those waves and the part of the brain receiving them. X-Ray waves I am not so sure off. It might be possible to synthesise our own ship wide antidote to be carried as infrasound ship wide that might disrupt the connection. I will begin working on it. I have to mention that I have begun to ‘feel’ things.”

Doctor Sarah Wilson listened on in concern as the numbers of affected people rose dramatically in the last half an hour. There seemed no differentiation between species or race, only that they were all experiencing paranoia.

"Dr Korial, what if we distribute a neural inhibitor? Similar to the ones we use against telepathy?" She offered. "It may suppress the feelings or remove them altogether?"

"What about that Doctor? Savar asked. "Is that a viable as well as a doable option?"

Niali paused, as a slight buzzing surrounded her, who was that standing beside Aurora? then she recognized Commander Kerr, he held a wicked-looking blade to her throat about to slice it across the Counsellors jugular. “STOP’ she shouted. Niali swallowed her pulse racing. Then she saw Kerr sitting in his chair and realised she was hallucinating. Aurora looked at her and smiled. “I erm, sorry….” she composed herself. “Yes, Doctor Wilson’s idea is a good one. We need to do something before the whole crew is incapacitated. I will return to sickbay momentarily.

Finchley looked up a little startled when he heard the CMO shouting out 'stop', then a moment later saw a quick glance from her to him.

He smiled back at her little wanly, unsure as to what had happened. Then a warning alert sounded on his console and he immediately began checking it. As he did so he reported, "Captain, we appear to have been scanned, though it's an unconventional type of scan wave, it appears to only have been on the outer structure of the ship, not internal."

"On the hull? Perhaps whatever it is that scanned us views the hull of ships as food. Their crews are mere appetizers for it. If that is so, what can we do to make the Sunfire hull as impalpable as possible?"

Finchley thought for a moment then said "If it is as you suggest Sir, we could try depolarising the hull, making ourselves a 'bad taste in the mouth' so to say."

"Let us try that Mr. Kerr. It gives us a starting point and perhaps with a little bit of scientific application we can discourage this entity from making us a meal." Savar replied as he glanced in Aurora's direction. "Aurora, please listen to the creature, keep us apprised of what you are sensing."

"Aye Sir" Finchley replied, getting to work straight away, depolarising the hull. As he finished, he said "It's done Captain, another thought occurred to me. if this doesn't work, we raise shields, oscillate the harmonics and send a tachyon pulse along the outer edges of the shield. It 'could' give us the effect of whatever's looking to eat us getting very nasty electric shocks in its mouth."

Savar thought on what Kerr was proposing, a plan b if you will." Make the necessary arrangements Mr. Kerr and stand by to implement them. However, let us first see if we can remove ourselves from the menu."

Double-checking both plans were doable, Finchley depolarised the ship's hull, plan 'A' was now in effect.

"Ships hull depolarised Sir" he reported to Savar.

Aurora looked towards Savar. “Are we so sure this is a creature? Even if it is how do we know this will work? For all, we know it’ll find us more appealing.”

Savar nodded at Aurora's statement. Your statement is valid Aurora. My reply is we do not know if it will work. We are making and taking a logical step in dealing with the situation. "I am basing that is is a creature based on what you sensed Aurora and the fear you felt."

Aurora nodded. “Question is what if it’s us, rather than the ship? This ... creature is making us feel fear and terror, whether that’s intentional or not isn’t clear. But if it is intentional then it could be our emotions that it’s feeding off of, which means the closer it gets the stronger it becomes.”

"A true enough statement Aurora. If what you propose is true, then we must find a way to mask or hide our fears. Which is why Dr. Korial and others are working on a sedative to use on the crew." Savar replied calmly.

SICKBAY

The doors to sickbay lay open as crew members lay on cots in the corridor the main bays for the highly sedated patients. Niali looked for Sarah but was unable to see her. She tried her comm =/\= Korial to Dr Wilson, what is your location?=/\=

"I'm right here" Sarah stepped out from around the corner where she was triaging another influx of patients and trying to replicate large volumes of a multi-species neural inhibitor at the same time.

Niali knew she was hallucinating when she saw a patient throttling another. She stood and tried to center herself and remove the buzzing in her ears, she tried to move but looked down to see lava covering her feet, she screamed at the intense pain she felt and then forced the vision away. She looked for the hypos containing the neural inhibitors.

" Ahh Doc... you ok?" Wilson asked as she reached out towards Korial, hypospray in hand.

“Am I glad to see you Sarah, can I have one of those hypos, I’m infected and seeing things?”

TBC