A Cry for Help

Posted on Sat Jan 1st, 2011 @ 7:15am by Vice Admiral Iluvar & Commander Fala Awen & Commander Christopher McNeil & Lieutenant Commander Joseph Thompson & Commander Michael Evans M.D. & Lieutenant JG Malia Jacy & Lieutenant JG Hannah Andeti

Mission: Episode 1.4 - "Confusion in the Cluster"
Location: Main Bridge, USS Pandora
Timeline: Mission Day 02, 1326

ON: [[Main Bridge, USS Pandora, Mission Day 02, 1326]]

McNeil was at his normal seat at the Mission Ops station, paying little apparent attention to the activity on the rest of the bridge while he reviewed all the available files on ships that had passed through the Cluster in the past year. While the Black Cluster was largely avoided by most merchant ships, a few had reason to pass near or through it, so there was a large number of reports to read through, though far less than sectors in other areas of the Federation would have generated.

Awen stood near the Mission Ops console, watching as they approached the Cluster. The journey hadn't taken very long; hopefully the various departments had had time to complete their preparations. At the very least, it sounded like they were close based on the reports she'd read. Soon it would be time to call Iluvar to the bridge. The Bajoran moved back down to the main level of the bridge and addressed the bridge crew, "Flight Control, slow to impulse power and hold 300,000 kilometers from the Cluster. Everyone else, status reports."

"Engineering reports ready, commander," Jake said from his position at the engineering console, just behind and to the left of the center of the bridge, "Our modifications seem to be checking out, but we won't know for sure until we've had a chance to field test them within the Cluster." He was reasonably confident in the changes they'd managed to complete since the end of the briefing a little over twenty-four hours ago. As with any modifications made in the field, however, they could run a thousand simulations and never truly know how well the system would operate until it was actually put to the test. This was their opportunity to find out.

"Shields are lowered," Joe said from where he sat at Tactical. "Let's hope we don't get jumped out there." If they did, there wasn't going to be much they could do for defense. Then again, he was probably being paranoid, but someone with his background and position couldn't afford not to be.

"Medical and Life Sciences ready," Dr. Evans reported from his station in the sciences alcove.

The counselor felt the crew, prepared as they were, ease their confidence into the background of their growing excitement. It was an uncertain and potentially dangerous mission, but after their recent lack-luster assignments, this was exactly what they needed.

Malia scanned the console and tugged at the inside of her lip with her teeth. Running programs was a very helpful way to identify areas that needed attention, but it was hardly foolproof. She had confidence that the small team of officers had been thorough and concise and decided to rely on the idea that it was enough. "We're golden here," she told Fala; her eyes glued to the console in front of her.

Nodding as she received the last of the reports and the Pandora was poised to enter the Cluster, Awen took her seat next to the Command Chair. The Bajoran took another glance around the bridge and reached to tap her comm badge to contact Iluvar when she was suddenly interrupted.

"Commander," Mali's fingers flitered into the air. "We're getting a distress call."

Awen's eyes widened ever so slightly, but she turned to Malia and nodded, "Let's hear it, Lieutenant." Either it was someone in the Cluster having difficulties or another ship was being attacked... She wasn't quite sure which she should hope for at this point.

Joe had a sudden sinking feeling. Distress calls were never good, and it would be just his luck to run into problems when they couldn't use their shields.

The mood on the bridge grew heavy and Andeti felt herself automatically leaning forward in her chair, her own expectation growing with that of the crew.

With a quirked eyebrow, McNeil pondered the timing of the distress call's arrival. He quickly saved his notes on the files he'd been reviewing and left a marker in the system to remind him where he'd been, then backed out of that database and started a quick inquiry on ships reported to be in the area of the Cluster at present.

"Ma'am." Her lip back between her teeth, Mali opened the channel and a static scrambled voice invaded the tensely anticipated atmosphere on the bridge.

"... SS Markon. Be advised we are under ... ack. I re.. und .. attack. Coordinates ar... unkno.. assailants." Suddenly the static cut and the words seemed to rebound off the walls. "The alien ship has engaged us..." and the transmission went silent.

As the silence filled the bridge, Awen watched Malia, who seemed to be trying to get the signal back. Seeing the young woman shake her head, the Bajoran tapped her comm badge, "Fala to Iluvar. Captain, please report to the bridge. We've arrived at the Cluster and received a distress call."

The door to the ready room hissed open and Iluvar emerged onto the bridge. He could see the ominous form of the Black Cluster as it was visible on the main viewscreen, but did not slow in his pace as he made his way toward the center of the room. "Have we been able to determine the point of origin," he asked as he approached where Commander Fala was waiting.

"Not an exact location, sir," Awen began as she brought up information regarding the distress call from a console. "The transmission came from a merchant vessel - the SS Markon, saying they're being attacked. It looks like the Cluster is interfering with our readings, though. Commander Thompson, have you had any luck with a location?"

"I can't get an exact pinpoint on that," Joe said. "Near as I can tell, it's about an hour out. It doesn't seem to be quite inside the Cluster, though." He said this last part with some relief in his voice - if they were far enough outside the Cluster, they could still use their full range of defensive shields.

"Red alert," Iluvar ordered, taking his seat at the center of the bridge, "Helm, lay in a course for the source of the coordinates and engage at full impulse."

With a few quick searches and some cross-referencing, McNeil had pulled up all of the information available in the Pandora's databanks about the Markon and sent a query to both Memory Theta, the nearest of the Federation's network of research and library database installations, and the nearest office of the Federation Merchant Marine to find out if further information was available on the vessel. What the Pandora had in her databanks was brief, but gave an idea of how well the ship could defend herself and how long survivors of an attack could hold out if the ship were largely intact.

Iluvar settled into his chair and fixed his gaze on the main viewscreen. An hour was quite a long period of time and there was no telling what they would find when they reached the source of the distress call. They could only hope that they wouldn't be too late.

OFF

A JP by:

Captain Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Pandora

Commander Fala Awen
Executive Officer
USS Pandora

Commander Christopher McNeil
Mission Advisor/Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Pandora

Lieutenant Commander Michael Evans
Chief Medical Officer/Second Officer
USS Pandora

Lieutenant Commander Joseph Thompson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Pandora

Lieutenant Jake Warrington (PNPC)
Interim Chief Engineering Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: Capt Iluvar

Lieutenant JG Hannah Andeti
Chief Counselor
USS Pandora

and

Lieutenant JG Malia Jacy
Chief Operations Officer
USS Pandora