Lunar Shielding (Part 2)

Posted on 08/25/2020 @ 4:35pm by Captain Cian D'Anvers & Lieutenant JG Siobhan Richards PhD

Mission: S2E1: The Skunil Incident
Timeline: Day 39 at 1500

"Whoever constructed this place, they are going to come home and reconsider their security measures," quipped J.J. as he guided them both through the doorway and down a short corridor and stopped abruptly, and turned to his left. There was an archway and through it a compact room with a lot of technology. Though something he distinctively viewed as a generator. His tricorder gave readings that seemed to support the hypothesis.

Nearby was a work station of sorts. He surmised it was the control for the shielding. "That has to be the generator, and that station the controls for the shielding," he said as he approached the work station. "Well, I know one thing...this is not Klingon nor Romulan. I'm not proficient in either of those, but I've seen enough of their written language to know this is not it."

J.J. sighed "I don't know if I can deactivate the shield. It could take me days to learn where the hell the 'Power' option is" he said somewhat defeated.

Siobhan approached the console and looked at it carefully.

"Well, if that was a sex machine, I probably would figure it out within moments." She said jokingly. "Since it is not... it might not be that easy."

Looking at the symbols and there were just few of them. Too few to guess the language.... unless. The realization dawned on her.

"It does look familiar. Those symbols." Siobhan spoke slowly moving her fingers over the console. "Hmm... I think that might be Orion. Honestly..." She sighed. "...I am more familiar with the sexual spectrum of their language but I should be able to figure out power button. They do have those on their sex toys."

"You are about as bad as Cash," J.J. replied with a small chuckle. "Orion would make sense with the forensic evidence left behind on Skunil. If I had brought Syndel this would have been easier, no offense" he added. "Just that ideally an Orion could read this much easier. So...power button. That's going to be the key, anything that looks like that to you?"

J.J. scrolled through the screen at various 'menu' options. "If we find it, that should bring down the shielding assuming...hoping they did not set up a backup generator" he contemplated. "Though I don't suspect they put that much thought into this facility."

Siobhan gave J.J. a wry look raising her eyebrow. She didn't know if she should be happy being compared by the XO to Cash or not.
"You know, Lieutenant... you just said that Lieutenant Cash is basically the worst crewmember in terms of attractiveness." She said playfully. "And now you put me on the same level. I have to give it to you… You have a way how to treat a woman." She shook her head.

Looking back at the console she moved to the side.
"I agree. We are likely to turn everything off." She tilted her head, looked on the side of the console, and smiled. "Here. The master power switch, lieutenant." She pointed at the side of the console, at one of three buttons there. It was noticeably bigger than two others were and it had a symbol translating to power in Orion.

"I have memories of being a woman," he replied "Though I lack the tactfulness" he explained. "I meant no harm. It wasn't a knock on your beauty, just that I do not so openly express topics of a sexual nature" he explained.

He looked at the side console. "Better let the others know before we leave them in the dark," noted J.J. He tapped his comm badge and took a breath. Speaking of Cash. Now, the man was on his mind.

Siobhan opened her mouth to say something but as the XO tapped the comm badge she just exhaled without saying anything.

"Joral to Cash, Doctor Richards and I have gained entry to the shield generator room. We think we've found controls to power, but it very well may sever the power throughout the facility. I didn't want to leave to in the dark without warning."

=/\= Understood, have you found anything else of interest? =/\= Cash asked.

"Nothing to report right now, Lieutenant" replied J.J. "The Doctor and I will contact the Crazy Horse once we bring the shield down. Then, we are going to head back to the shuttle. We will meet the two of you there."

=/\= Understood. Have you heard from the Chief? I didn't want us to split up, but he kinda went his own way. =/\= Said Cash. =/\="Never mind, I found him. We are heading back.=/\= Said Cash.

"I have not, please find him as soon as possible. Joral out" replied Jodon. He was surprised that the Chief had split off from Cash. Peculiar thought J.J.

The First Officer looked at Richards. "Alright, Doctor, make it so."

"Do you want me to flip the switch?" Siobhan unsure if that what the XO was asking about.

"Yes," J J. responded. "Flip the switch, cut the power, whatever needs done. I want to get that shielding down so that the Crazy Horse can penetrate the base with sensor scans."

After the XO said 'yes', Siobhan reached out and flipped the switch before he finished talking. The lights flickered and suddenly everything stopped, so his last words were in the complete silence, devoid of typical hum of machinery, and in the complete darkness.
"Can they light the path for us to go back?"

Lieutenant Joral smiled beneath the gear worn. "Tricorders will help us get back just fine. An improvement over bread crumbs for sure" teased J.J.

"Yeah. I would still prefer good old fashioned flashlight." Siobhan murmured.

"Are you afraid of the dark?" inquired J.J

"No. But I do prefer to use all my senses." Siobhan replied calmly.

Lieutenant Jodon Joral tapped his comm badge. "Joral to Crazy Horse... shielding lowered. Captain, feel free to begin scanning the facility. The Doctor has identified the written language on a console here as being Orion" reported J.J.

"Orion," Cian said. "That's a start. Gather up whatever you've found and return to the ship. I think its time we started putting all the pieces together."

"Agreed. J.J. out," he replied and the communications channel was severed. He looked at Doctor Richards. "I was just teasing about the dark" the Trill said.

The First Officer had his phaser in hand and adjusted something in the settings. "I was tinkering around with things. Patient pending" he said in jest as a small narrow beam of light glowed from the phaser like a flashlight torch.

It wasn't much light but it was enough to illuminate a foot or two ahead. "I am thinking this might just replace the wrist lanterns. Sort of a two in one deal if it's already on the hand phaser."

"It looks promising as it is better than nothing." Siobhan commented. "But, if you'll need a flashlight, we have technologically five time smaller ones that give five time more light. They are easy enough to carry as an extra. So you should work on improving the effectiveness otherwise it seems to me as too fringe application." She smiled though it went unnoticed in the darkness. "But then, I am a counselor, not an expert in technology."

"You aren't wrong," he replied with a shrug. "It is Joral. I have memories of sketching things and trying to build stuff, not quite my hobbies prior to the joining" explained J.J.


"What about Jodon? How Jodon feels about making a flashlight out of a phaser?" Siobhan asked.

"Scientifically curious, but noting the impracticality of it," he replied with a small smile. "I am essentially the sim of my parts."

As they left the area of the generator and neared where they gained entry Lieutenant Joral gestured down the corridor. "Straight shot down the corridor and out. The others should be in the shuttle waiting for us."

Siobhan nodded and followed the XO down the corridor.
"Shouldn't be far." She said feeling somewhat disappointing. Did she count on some more action? Perhaps but at the same time, if there would be an action... what could she do being a counselor. At the end of the corridor she could hear the shuttle waiting for them and few moments later it appeared in their view.

"My first away mission on the ship..." Her voice trailed off in disappointment. Yes, she was a bit disappointed.

The First Officer nodded. "They aren't all excitement," he replied. "Though this was crucial in understanding what happened down on Skunil. We owe it to those who died" he added. "Now, it's time that we go home."

"True." Siobhan agreed as they approached the shuttle. "Not all adventures have to have Klingons, Romulans, doomsday weapons and stealth fleets at every turn. Right?" She gave J.J. wicked grin before she entered the shuttle.

Lieutenant Jodon Joral breathed a sigh of relief. "Thankfully, we get some calm before the storms."

A Mission Post by:

Lieutenant JG Siobhan Richards PhD
Counselor
USS Crazy Horse

Lieutenant Jodon Joral
Executive Officer
USS Crazy Horse

Lieutenant JG Alexander Cash
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Crazy Horse

&

Captain Cian D'Anvers
Commanding Officer
USS Crazy Horse