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--- trek:venerable:recap:1_act_5 [2020/04/10 14:19] – verbena76
+++ trek:venerable:recap:1_act_5 [2021/07/19 16:41] (current) – [A Conversation About Ridged Tomatoes Turns Violent] verbena76
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ===== Stardate 44223.14: Thursday March 23rd, 2367, 1045 hours hours =====
 ==== Who the Hell is Darrah Mace? ====
-Commander Shil’vala hails Aaron and reports the //Boston// has suddenly dropped out of warp. She asks what’s going on, and Aaron deflects a bit before stating there is a problem with the dilithium matrix. Shil’vala says, “Okay… do we have a repair estimate?” T’kora reiterates, “Two or three hours,” and Aaron tells his confused XO, “If anything changes, I’ll let you know.” Aaron, Kelly, and Kimball depart engineering, but Aaron and Kimball realize T’kora simply hit a kill switch and can restart the warp engines at any time. They head to the officer’s mess to grab a quick breakfast before returning to the bridge. Shil’vala surrenders the center seat, but it’s clear she’s still confused. Aaron tells her, “My ready room; I’ll explain.” She nods and tells Kimball, “You have the conn.”
+Commander [[trek:characters:shilvala|Shil’vala]] hails [[trek:venerable:pcs:aaron|Aaron]] and reports the //Boston// has suddenly dropped out of warp. She asks what’s going on, and Aaron deflects a bit before stating there is a problem with the dilithium matrix. Shil’vala says, “Okay… do we have a repair estimate?” [[trek:characters:tkora|T’kora]] reiterates, “Two or three hours,” and Aaron tells his confused XO, “If anything changes, I’ll let you know.” Aaron, [[trek:venerable:pcs:kelly|Kelly]], and [[trek:venerable:pcs:kimball|Kimball]] depart engineering, but Aaron and Kimball realize T’kora simply hit a kill switch and can restart the warp engines at any time. They head to the officer’s mess to grab a quick breakfast before returning to the bridge. Shil’vala surrenders the center seat, but it’s clear she’s still confused. Aaron tells her, “My ready room; I’ll explain.” She nods and tells Kimball, “You have the conn.”
-Once ensconced in the ready room, Aaron lays it all out: the EMP grenade, the active data rod, and the “request” from SI to develop engine trouble. Shil’vala nods in understanding, and Aaron decides to call a meeting of the entire senior staff in the strategy room. Shil’vala agrees and decides to check with Lieutenant Anjohl to see if she knows anything about this Darrah Mace. Aaron agrees that’s a good idea as they leave. Five minutes later, the senior staff and Anjohl gather on deck two. Aaron lays out their findings to everyone, and the strategy table displays a holographic representation of the LV system: a red main sequence star, two Class-D inner planets, LV-397 itself, and two Class-J gas giants and a thin Oort cloud around the system. The hologram then zeroes in on LV-397, showing four continents and a sixty-eight percent hydrosphere – which is alkaline. Heavy deposits of sensor-blocking kelbonite are marked out, and a blinking cursor on a northern continent marks the region where Kimball and his crew survived for two months.
+Once ensconced in the ready room, Aaron lays it all out: the EMP grenade, the active data rod, and the “request” from SI to develop engine trouble. Shil’vala nods in understanding, and Aaron decides to call a meeting of the entire senior staff in the strategy room. Shil’vala agrees and decides to check with Lieutenant [[trek:characters:anjohl|Anjohl]] to see if she knows anything about this [[trek:characters:darrah|Darrah Mace]]. Aaron agrees that’s a good idea as they leave. Five minutes later, the senior staff and Anjohl gather on deck two. Aaron lays out their findings to everyone, and the strategy table displays a holographic representation of the LV system: a red main sequence star, two Class-D inner planets, LV-397 itself, and two Class-J gas giants and a thin Oort cloud around the system. The hologram then zeroes in on LV-397, showing four continents and a sixty-eight percent hydrosphere – which is alkaline. Heavy deposits of sensor-blocking kelbonite are marked out, and a blinking cursor on a northern continent marks the region where Kimball and his crew survived for two months.
 Shil’vala asks Anjohl about Darrah Mace. She reiterates what’s in the computer, but admits she knows him personally as she’s from Valo II. She says Darrah carries some guilt over the Occupation, as he met Skrain Dukat during first contact back in 2318 and often wonders if he said something that triggered the Cardassian avarice. The senior officers doubt it, but Anjohl states, “Speaking as a Starfleet officer, that’s all I know.” She then removes her combadge and lays it on the table before continuing in a softer tone, “Darrah often slips back into the Bajoran system to get refugees out. He also hunts for new colony sites, as Valo II is on the verge of collapse constantly. Honestly, his past as a lawman is one of the few things keeping the Bajorans there functioning.”
-The holo-map reforms to show this sector of space and then zooms out to show Bajor and Valo II, which are about fifty light years from their current position. The Starfleet officers eye the nearby Argolis Cluster, a stellar nursery infamous for navigational hazards, and wonder if that was his destination.((Joe pointed out out-of-game that this was still very close to the Cardassian border, but I explained the Bajorans don’t have many warp-ships, and the few they do are relics, salvage, or scratch-built and often held together by tape, bailing wire, and prayers to the Prophets.)) The players realized this was as far out as the Bajorans could reach. Anjohl admits this is a likely hypothesis, but she hasn’t seen or spoken to Darrah in over a decade. She reclaims her combadge as Shil’vala asks Kimball, “Anything you can tells us about this planet?” Kimball briefly touches on the destruction of his former ship, the //Excelsior//-class //USS Springfield//, while facing three //Galor//-class ships and the ion storm that hit the system during the battle, preventing any rescue attempt by months. Kimball goes into detail about the limited plant life, oceanic life, and cavern systems they encountered on LV-397, and firmly recommends, “Don’t eat the purple lichen.” However, he admits it would be a good place to hide.
+The holo-map reforms to show this sector of space and then zooms out to show Bajor and Valo II, which are about fifty light years from their current position. The Starfleet officers study the nearby Argolis Cluster, a stellar nursery infamous for navigational hazards, and wonder if that was his destination.(([[players:joe]] pointed out out-of-game that this was still very close to the Cardassian border, but I explained the Bajorans don’t have many warp-ships, and the few they do are relics, salvage, or scratch-built and often held together by tape, bailing wire, and prayers to the Prophets.)) The players realized this was as far out as the Bajorans could reach. Anjohl admits this is a likely hypothesis, but she hasn’t seen or spoken to Darrah in over a decade. She reclaims her combadge as Shil’vala asks Kimball, “Anything you can tells us about this planet?” Kimball briefly touches on the destruction of his former ship, the //Excelsior//-class //USS Springfield//, while facing three //Galor//-class ships and the ion storm that hit the system during the battle, preventing any rescue attempt by months. Kimball goes into detail about the limited plant life, oceanic life, and cavern systems they encountered on LV-397, and firmly recommends, “Don’t eat the purple lichen.” However, he admits it would be a good place to hide.
-As Kimball talks, Kelly performs a long-range scan and determines there are no ion storms in the region, and none have formed in many months. He shares this information, and the officers wonder if Darrah Mace stopped at LV-397 voluntarily or was forced there by the Cardassians. Shil’vala carefully points out that the Bajorans are not Federation citizens, but Aaron replies, “We wait for orders.” Ten and Eleven then cock their heads simultaneously and announce, “Incoming priority transmission from Starfleet Command to Captain Englyss.” Aaron checks the time and realizes the communication is very early, but he orders it routed to his ready room. Shil’vala calls out, “All officers to stations!” and everyone files out.
+As Kimball talks, Kelly performs a long-range scan and determines there are no ion storms in the region, and none have formed in many months. He shares this information, and the officers wonder if Darrah Mace stopped at LV-397 voluntarily or was forced there by the Cardassians. Shil’vala carefully points out that the Bajorans are not Federation citizens, but Aaron replies, “We wait for orders.” [[trek:characters:ten|Ten]] and [[trek:characters:eleven|Eleven]] then cock their heads simultaneously and announce, “Incoming priority transmission from Starfleet Command to Captain Englyss.” Aaron checks the time and realizes the communication is very early, but he orders it routed to his ready room. Shil’vala calls out, “All officers to stations!” and everyone files out.
 ==== Much Farther Up the Food Chain ====
-Aaron heads to his ready room and toggles his viewscreen. He sees the emblem of Starfleet Command resolve into the image of Vice-Admiral Alynna Nechayev, who greets him briskly and asks for a status report. Aaron complies, and tells her everything. Admiral Nechayev looks pensive for a moment, and then tells him, //“These orders are not to go on record, captain. Do you understand?”// Aaron nods warily, and Admiral Nechayev orders him to proceed to LV-397 and attempt a rescue of Darrah Mace and the other Bajorans, but stipulates he is to use his discretion at all times. Aaron accepts but asks, “Do you know how many Bajorans there are?” She replies, //“About fifty,”// and Aaron does some quick calculations. Luckily, for a short voyage, the //Boston// can accommodate fifty additional people without issue. Admiral Nechayev then adds, //“Oh, and Captain, if you would do me a personal favor. Once you retrieve Darrah Mace, tell him Nechen Alla honors her debts. Good luck.”// He nods in confusion, and she terminates the channel.
+Aaron heads to his ready room and toggles his viewscreen. He sees the emblem of Starfleet Command resolve into the image of Vice-Admiral [[trek:characters:nechayev|Alynna Nechayev]], who greets him briskly and asks for a status report. Aaron complies, and tells her everything. Admiral Nechayev looks pensive for a moment, and then tells him, //“These orders are not to go on record, captain. Do you understand?”// Aaron nods warily, and Admiral Nechayev orders him to proceed to LV-397 and attempt a rescue of Darrah Mace and the other Bajorans, but stipulates he is to use his discretion at all times. Aaron accepts but asks, “Do you know how many Bajorans there are?” She replies, //“About fifty,”// and Aaron does some quick calculations. Luckily, for a short voyage, the //Boston// can accommodate fifty additional people without issue. Admiral Nechayev then adds, //“Oh, and captain, if you would do me a personal favor. Once you retrieve Darrah Mace, tell him Nechen Alla honors her debts. Good luck.”// He nods in confusion, and she terminates the channel.
 Aaron heads to the bridge and finds his entire senior staff – plus Anjohl – waiting silently. He nods and says, “We’re going to LV-397 for an assessment. Lieutenant Perrault, are we within Cardassian sensor range from LV-397?” Kelly checks his sensors and confirms that they are; the Cardassians can see them fine. Aaron nods and says, “This will be the first encounter with the //Prakesh// and our new crew. We need to be at our best. Helm, set course for LV-397, warp nine.” Ten and Eleven immediately spin to their stations, but hesitate. Aaron winces and adds, “Commander T’kora?” With a slightly raised eyebrow, T’kora taps a control on her panel and the warp engines flare to life. Aaron smirks and repeats, “Helm, //now// set course for LV-397, warp nine.”
-The //Boston// leaps to warp and Ten and Eleven turn back to Aaron and innocently ask, “How close to the planet do you want to drop out of warp?” Hel-Torin hisses, “Oh, no,” but Aaron shrugs and replies, “Ideally, the far side of the planet.” With evil grins, both Bynars turn back to their stations and babble at each other in binary before looking back and announcing simultaneously, “Done.” Hel-Torin leans in and stipulates, “Outside of the atmosphere this time!” The Bynars turn back as they announce, “Recalculating… done.” Aaron turns to Hel-Torin and says, “At some point, I would //love// to hear about that incident over dinner.” Hel-Torin smirks and nods.
+The //Boston// leaps to warp and Ten and Eleven turn back to Aaron and innocently ask, “How close to the planet do you want to drop out of warp?” Hel-Torin hisses, “Oh, no,” but Aaron shrugs and replies, “Ideally, the far side of the planet.” With evil grins, both [[trek:characters:bynars|Bynars]] turn back to their stations and babble at each other in binary before looking back and announcing simultaneously, “Done.” Hel-Torin leans in and stipulates, “Outside of the atmosphere this time!” The Bynars turn back as they announce, “Recalculating… done.” Aaron turns to Hel-Torin and says, “At some point, I would //love// to hear about that incident over dinner.” Hel-Torin smirks and nods.
 ==== I Can Take Off My Shoes! ====
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 The //Boston// shudders as she increases speed, and Kelly reports, “Two small power spikes near the probe. The //Galors// are powering up.” Eleven calls out, “We’ll reach LV-397 in fifty minutes. The //Galors// won’t reach the system for two and a half hours after us.” Aaron nods and turns to Kimball to discuss the away team. Kimball stipulates that he prefers to remain on the //Boston// while Shil’vala offers to lead the away team; Aaron agrees to both. They work out a team of a dozen security officers, two med-techs, pilots, and Lieutenant Kuraht along with transporter enhancers. Shil’vala poaches Counselor M’Belaa, who brightens and exclaims, “I can take off my shoes!” Aaron shrugs but M’Belaa retorts, “I can climb a lot faster than you can without them.” Shil’vala smirks.
-As the //Boston// nears LV-397, Aaron orders Shil’vala’s team to locate the Bajorans, get them out, and head for the planet’s northern pole to confuse Cardassian sensors. If the //Boston// is still covering them, they’re to go to warp and head for Starbase 211. Shil’vala hesitates, and then nods once. The away team heads for the shuttlebay and prepares for launch. Kelly continues scanning and announces, “The //Prakesh// is transferring power to her tactical systems." Aaron mutters, “So either preparing for an orbital bombardment or readying to give us a warm welcome.”((The latter. Gul Dukat left strict instructions that he wants these Bajorans alive.))
+As the //Boston// nears LV-397, Aaron orders Shil’vala’s team to locate the Bajorans, get them out, and head for the planet’s northern pole to confuse Cardassian sensors. If the //Boston// is still covering them, they’re to go to warp and head for Starbase 211. Shil’vala hesitates, and then nods once. The away team heads for the shuttlebay and prepares for launch. Kelly continues scanning and announces, “The //Prakesh// is transferring power to her tactical systems." Aaron mutters, “So either preparing for an orbital bombardment or readying to give us a warm welcome.”((The latter. [[trek:characters:dukat|Gul Dukat]] left strict instructions that he wants these Bajorans alive.))
-Tense minutes tick by, and then Eleven announces, “Dropping out of warp in three… two… one!” The //Boston// drops out of warp kissing the turbulent atmosphere of LV-397, and Kimball is pretty certain they’re directly above his old campsite on a northern continent. The //Prakesh// is scanning the southern continent, but swiftly shifts and starts swinging around the planet to intercept. Shil’vala’s flotilla launches and they swing in the opposite direction of the //Prakesh//, keeping the planet between them and the Cardassian ship. Kelly picks up trace radiation from the death of the //USS Springfield//, but also a crashed Ferengi ship on the surface. The Ferengi ship is decades old and heavily retrofitted; Kelly is certain said ship will never leave this planet. He then hijacks the Cardassian sensor array and determines where they haven’t scanned yet. He runs a few cross-checks and narrows down where he suspects the Bajorans are hiding, and then transmits his findings to Shil’vala.
+Tense minutes tick by, and then Eleven announces, “Dropping out of warp in three… two… one!” The //Boston// drops out of warp kissing the turbulent atmosphere of LV-397, and Kimball is pretty certain they’re directly above his old campsite on a northern continent. The //Prakesh// is scanning the southern continent, but swiftly shifts and starts swinging around the planet to intercept. Shil’vala’s flotilla launches, and they swing in the opposite direction of the //Prakesh//, keeping the planet between them and the Cardassian ship. Kelly picks up trace radiation from the death of the //USS Springfield//, but also a crashed Ferengi ship on the surface. The Ferengi ship is decades old and heavily retrofitted; Kelly is certain said ship will never leave this planet. He then hijacks the Cardassian sensor array and determines where they haven’t scanned yet. He runs a few cross-checks and narrows down where he suspects the Bajorans are hiding, and then transmits his findings to Shil’vala.
 ==== A Conversation About Ridged Tomatoes Turns Violent ====
-Aaron eyes the approaching //Prakesh// and calls out, “Battle stations!” The shields go up and weapons run hot as the //Prakesh// comes into view and Ten reports, “Incoming hail for Captain Shen.” Aaron nods and Ten routes it to the main viewscreen. They all see a hard-edged female Cardassian gul as she says, //“Captain Sh…”// and trials off when she sees Aaron. Aaron smiles and replies, “I am Captain Aaron Englyss, the new commander of the //USS Boston//. Captain Shen has been reassigned for reasons I’m not going to tell you. But I have been looking forward to meeting you, Gul Drucell.” Gul Drucell’s eyes narrow, but Aaron can see she’s swiftly recalculating. She then replies, //“Captain Englyss. Is that Scottish heritage?”// Caught off guard, Aaron replies, “Indeed. Have you ever been to Scotland?” Gul Drucell laughs hollowly as she sweeps the bridge and notes the new faces, //“No. I fear your homeland wouldn’t be welcoming to Cardassians. Too… wet. What brings you to the middle of nowhere, captain?”//
+Aaron eyes the approaching //Prakesh// and calls out, “Battle stations!” The shields go up and weapons run hot as the //Prakesh// comes into view and Ten reports, “Incoming hail for Captain [[[[trek:characters:shen|Shen]].” Aaron nods and Ten routes it to the main viewscreen. They all see a hard-edged female Cardassian gul as she says, //“Captain Sh…”// and trials off when she sees Aaron. Aaron smiles and replies, “I am Captain Aaron Englyss, the new commander of the //U.S.S. Boston//. Captain Shen has been reassigned for reasons I’m not going to tell you. But I have been looking forward to meeting you, Gul [[trek:characters:drucel|Drucel]].” Gul Drucel’s eyes narrow, but Aaron can see she’s swiftly recalculating. She then replies, //“Captain Englyss. Is that Scottish heritage?”// Caught off guard, Aaron replies, “Indeed. Have you ever been to Scotland?” Gul Drucel laughs hollowly as she sweeps the bridge and notes the new faces, //“No. I fear your homeland wouldn’t be welcoming to Cardassians. Too… wet. What brings you to the middle of nowhere, captain?”//
-Aaron smiles and replies, “One of my officers was here several months ago and planted a garden. He insists the tomatoes are ready, and the ones from here make spaghetti sauce to die for.” Gul Drucell retorts, //“He must have been from the late, lamented// Springfield. //Sadly, Captain Englyss, no… tomatoes have survived.”// Aaron, still stalling for time, turns back to Kimball and says lightly, “See? I told you the birds would have gotten them by now.” Kimball plays along and replies, “We only saw swallows, and they ignore plants, Captain. African swallows, not European ones, mind you.”
+Aaron smiles and replies, “One of my officers was here several months ago and planted a garden. He insists the tomatoes are ready, and the ones from here make spaghetti sauce to die for.” Gul Drucel retorts, //“He must have been from the late, lamented// Springfield. //Sadly, Captain Englyss, no... tomatoes have survived.”// Aaron, still stalling for time, turns back to Kimball and says lightly, “See? I told you the birds would have gotten them by now.” Kimball plays along and replies, “We only saw swallows, and they ignore plants, captain. African swallows, not European ones, mind you.”
-Gul Drucell smiles coldly and asks, //“Tell me, Captain Englyss, do these tomatoes have ridges?”// Aaron says brightly, “As a matter of fact, they do!” and shows her a picture of Portuguese tomatoes. Gul Drucell’s smile grows even wider and shows the barest hint of teeth as she says softly, //“I’m afraid, captain, that we have a prior claim on these ridged tomatoes.”// She cuts the channel and the //Prakesh// powers up her disruptor array. Aaron calls out, “Scan that ship! Target priority to her weapons and shields!” The //Boston// and the //Prakesh// scan each other as they jockey for position, and then Aaron orders, “Attack pattern Gamma!” As Eleven maneuvers into position, the //Prakesh// opens fire with her forward spiral wave disruptor! The //Boston// shudders under the barrage but then Kimball returns fire, stripping away the //Prakesh’s// shields and damaging her primary weapon!
+Gul Drucel smiles coldly and asks, //“Tell me, Captain Englyss, do these tomatoes have ridges?”// Aaron says brightly, “As a matter of fact, they do!” and shows her a picture of Portuguese tomatoes. Gul Drucel’s smile grows even wider and shows the barest hint of teeth as she says softly, //“I’m afraid, captain, that we have a prior claim on these ridged tomatoes.”// She cuts the channel and the //Prakesh// powers up her disruptor array. Aaron calls out, “Scan that ship! Target priority to her weapons and shields!” The //Boston// and the //Prakesh// scan each other as they jockey for position, and then Aaron orders, “Attack pattern gamma!” As Eleven maneuvers into position, the //Prakesh// opens fire with her forward spiral wave disruptor! The //Boston// shudders under the barrage but then Kimball returns fire, stripping away the //Prakesh’s// shields and damaging her primary weapon!
 The //Prakesh// banks to starboard and reroutes power to restore her shields, but Aaron senses an opportunity and orders Kimball, “Let them have it again, both barrels!” Kimball opens fire again, ripping away the just-restored shields and causing power loss throughout the //Prakesh//! The //Prakesh// then surges forward and opens fire with her secondary phaser arrays; she targets the //Boston’s// warp nacelles and then jumps to warp! Aaron is startled at the sudden retreat, but orders, “All hands, secure from battle stations. Damage control teams to your sections!” Ten reports, “Port nacelle took a direct hit, but engineering is already working on it.” T’kora departs the bridge as Aaron hails Shil’vala; her fleet has reached the surface. Shil’vala’s voice is heavily distorted by static, but she reports they’ve made contact with the Bajoran refugees. They’re gathering them now for loading, but then she adds, //“Captain, I need Perrault down here. The Bajorans found some ancient ruins in the caves, and something I think is a Matruse device!”//
+----
+<WRAP group>
+<WRAP half column leftalign>
+[[{}trek:venerable:recap:1_act_4|<= Act 4]]
+</WRAP>
+<WRAP half column rightalign>
+[[{}trek:venerable:recap:1_act_6|Act 6 =>]]
+</WRAP>
+</WRAP>
+{{tag>recap star_trek venerable}}

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