#37 Roundabout

Posted on Mon Dec 5th, 2022 @ 5:35pm by Chief Warrant Officer Niraasha "Nira" Whisperwind & Lieutenant JG Ainkara "Kara" {Meji} & Commodore Cyndi Song

Mission: BUGS OH NO!!
Location: Bridge
Timeline: current

ON:

Nira stood duty at the Tactical station, hands moving casually as she assigned duties and saw to communications and sensors. The asteroid could be seen from here, a massive clod of rock, iron and ice. As she stared at it for a few moments she saw a streak of white light shoot from the top of it and impact what appeared to be a cloaked vessel. With the distance it looked like a white hair but it was distinctive. "Commodore, what was that?"

"That looked like a cloaked ship," Cyndi said "Either a Bird of Prey or a Warbird one of the two.

Tapping keys Nira put the main viewer overtop the window then replayed the event at 3x magnification. "I'd say a small ship, Sir." Answered Nira. "A scout ship or a runabout style vessel. Either way it is lost back in its cloak."

Ainkara spoke up, her tone somewhat malicious. "I tried to warn you but no one would listen. That asteroid is a base, and for a split second the sensors detected a quantum singularity. What you saw looked to be a ring device system, a form of transporter. Iconians used them on certain worlds for thousands of years."

"Do we have enough power for weapons and what's the status of our shields? Can we take another hit? And yes Ainkara we should have listened to your warning," Cyndi said.

Nira's brain did the calculations with some help from the computer. "This far out, no damage. However, the closer we get the stronger the damage. It would be like sitting next to a starship that blew its warp core."

"I wonder what was being transported or by who," Cyndi commented "Can you get a location on that ship? I want to know just what we're dealing with.

"I will try, Commodore." Nira set to work at her station.

Ainkara stepped in next to her and pointed to certain things to aid. Obviously, she knew her way around sensors and astrophysics. Nira began to look frustrated so Ainkara spoke up. "I have an idea, Commodore. With your permission I will implement to aid Nira."

"Permission granted," Cyndi said.

"Nira, set sensors to observe the background stars and their positions." As Ainkara instructed her Nira did as she was told. "Now, look for distortions from that scan. Every object in space has a gravity signature. If you set your sensors to watch for that we can track that moving vessel, no matter how small. The stars will be blurred wherever it is, or is traveling."

Following the directive Nira gave a smile. "We have it, Commodore." She relayed heading and speed for the cloaked vessel.

"What's our status?" Cyndi asked "Damage report,"

Nira checked her status reports. "Amandora is sound, Sir. Minor repairs still need to be seen to but we are back to full operations."

"Set intercept course, charge weapons," Cyndi ordered "Maneuvering thrusters, let them think we're still hurt."

Flight control did as ordered as Nira set up weapons and defense, sounding the red alert and silencing the klaxon after a few sirens. It always, always hurt her sensitive hearing. "We're ready, Commodore. Should I activate the tractor beam?"

"Yes activate it and scan that runabout I want to know who or what was beamed aboard it," Cyndi said.

"Scans won't penetrate a cloak, Commodore," advised Nira. "We could give it a low-yield phaser strike since shields don't function while cloaked either. The shield system is what creates the cloak to begin with. I can power a beam down to say...20%."

"Make it so," Cyndi said "If I remember right when cloaked most shields don't work."

Nira adjusted an emitter to low yield and said she was ready. When the Commodore gave the order it took a few shots to actually graze the vessel. A portion of the cloak went down but there was no return fire or any moves made to avoid any further danger. The Romulan runabout continued along as if it was fine. "Sensors indicate two life forms aboard. Bio scans indicate they are Chulakan."

"Hold position here, that's Jynxza's home world. Keep weapons hot," Cyndi said "This is damn peculiar,"

"Commodore, it appears the craft is not using engine power." Announced Ainkara as she worked alongside Nira. "Minimal power and basically drifting in a straight line. It's acting more like a lifeboat."

"I concur," said Nira.

"Then those lifeforms could be sleeping, that could be a sleeper ship. We'll monitor it," Cyndi said.

Confused by the sudden reticence in her commanding officer, Nira said nothing. There it was, right there before them, moving at minimal inertia. Why waste the phaser shot or drop the vessels cloak if the Amandora was not going to bring the ship aboard nor send a landing party over?

Standing to Nira's left Ainkara continued to check monitors and listen to the conversation. "Commodore, if you will. Allow me to go over and secure the ship. I am neither Starfleet, nor a member of any other government. My presence would be my folly alone and no other could be blamed." She waited to hear the response.

"I'll permit it, be careful and the first sign of trouble I want you back over here," Cyndi said.

Nira left the tactical station and coded into a lockbox/cache, small and in a corner of the Bridge. Opening it she took out a combadge then walked back to Ainkara after closing it again. Having the computer scan the Voran and log it into the ship's database, she then placed the badge on Ainkara's chest, above the left breast. "There, you can now contact the ship. A simple tap activates the device." Nira waved in a Security officer. "Escort her to transporter room 2, supply her with an away belt, and stand by in the transporter room in case she calls for aid." The Security officer acknowledged and did as he was told, taking Ainkara off the Bridge.

Returning to her post Nira began to see to the station. "I hope she is as benevolent as she makes out to be, Commodore."

"We'll soon find out," Cyndi said "Keep a lock on her."

Being led to the transporter room, Ainkara was soon enough beamed over to the Romulan runabout. Weapon at the ready as she materialized she found that she was alone on the Bridge. Looking to the controls for the pilot and co-pilot she could see this was an auto-pilot function. Cautiously making her way to the aft section, again finding no one, Ainkara saw the two babies. Both on their backs in a forcefield sealed play pen. Around them floated two mechanical servants, bottles in hand as the children were being fed. The droids payed her no mind as they looked to the needs of the newborns. She tapped her badge and heard the warble. "Commodore, there is no one here except for two infants and their mechanical caretakers."


"Newborns? How old do you estimate them to be? But in either case we need to tractor that runabout over here. I won't risk harming children," Cyndi said the surprise clear in her voice.

"I have confidence I can override the systems and pilot the craft to a shuttle bay, Commodore," offered Ainkara. "As for the age of the infants I cannot discern, not knowing their species. They are not Vulcanoid, as you people like to label everyone with pointed ears and a Human-like appearance." Realizing she was straying from the issue at hand Ainkara got back to the point. "If Human, according to your own medical data files, then I would hazard a guess that they are a couple of months old. Three, at most. They do appear Human."

Kneeling next to the forcefield pen Ainkara brought put her tricorder and began to scan them. Since her tricorder was from Amandora she cross-referenced the bio-data, looking for similarities if not a straight-up confirmation. "Bio-scans indicate that these children are Chulakan. According to your medical database these children are..." Her eyes opened slightly wider in a look of surprise. Not that she cared if anyone saw it, Ainkara's mental discipline allowed her to recover with but a moment of stumble. "...two weeks old?"

"I won't risk that rounabout being caught in any cross fire over ride the systems and bring it aboard. Those are infants despite the spiecies I won't risk anything," Cyndi said after a couple of minutes to process what she'd been told.

Ainkara heard the orders. "Right away, Commodore. I shall pilot the craft to the main shuttle bay." As she was speaking Ainkara began to tap away at the console, reconfiguring the station to suit her needs for piloting. There were some things she could thank the Iconians for, one of which was a complete knowledge for the technologies of warp capable species in this galaxy, some of whom the Federation had yet to discover. "I have access, Commodore. Turning for Amandora now," stated Ainkara even as she did just that.

"Lower aft shields long enough to bring that craft aboard then raise them again," Cyndi said.

Ainkara brought the little ship home, passing through the dropped aft section and heading for the main bay atop the Primary hull. "Landing now, Commodore. The little ones appear healthy, and they are both sleeping, but I would advise a medical team be sent to take them to Sickbay." Being directed to a parking spot by the small craft personnel, Ainkara proceeded to land and shut down. "We're aboard. Shutting down systems, now, Sir. Ainkara, out." She tapped the comm off.

"Raise aft shields," Cyndi ordered, tapping her com-badge "Medical team to the main shuttle bay on top of the primary hull we have infants aboard a roundabout."

OFF: