Star Trek: Season 7 - Masquerade

[wraith1701]

Joint post by Jen, Just X, and wraith1701-



Sevryll stepped into the cockpit of the Shadowfax, as the engines came to life beneath her feet. Instantly she felt the pulse of the runabout pounding rhythmically through the deck plates.  Through the viewport, she could see the Courage of Tiberius and her thoughts were drawn to its namesake. The late Akira class vessel and a third of her crew were lost, but their spirit lived on through the Arabella and those who served aboard her. The Captain's runabout was a prime example of their dedication to honor the sacrificed ship. Her heart skipped in her side and she forced back the smile that threatened betray her stoic, jade expression.

Commander Sevryll took a seat next to Chief Rina as the pilot finalized her preflight operations. "Without standard sensors, it might get a little bumpy, but the Aurora is already in the atmosphere finding us landing sites and approach vectors," said Rina as her fingers danced over the console and engaged the neural link of the ship.  She had logged thousands of man hours in flight and on the simulators for runabout class vessels. With the addition of the neural link, it would be far less difficult. A thin metal interface extended from the headrest of the chair, and covered part of her forehead. With a thought, the engines of the shuttle lifted the craft off the deck.

The two runabouts rose slowly, and paused, hovering 3 meters above the pristine, mirror-smooth floor plating.   

As the drifting craft rotated in place to face the sealed shuttlebay doors, the energetic deck gang withdrew to the outskirts of the bay.  The warning klaxon echoed through the cavernous room with two short but blaring bursts of sound, alerting the crew to the impending opening of the shuttlebay doors. The massive doors slowly parted, and the light panels of the titanic door frame pulsed to life with a steady, neon-blue glow-- a shorthand signal to the crewmen that the atmospheric forcefield was now active.

Like a pair of dolphins cast in steel and ceramic composite, the runabouts drifted casually towards the doorway, their twin shadows passing lazily over the deck crew below.  The crewmen craned their necks to gaze up at the ships as they approached the invisible barrier separating the warmth of the shuttlebay from the cold, life-stealing vacuum of space. As the ships swam slowly forward, an almost imperceptible ripple in the air around them marked their passage through the forcefield, and their escape into the freedom of the void.

Liberated from the artificial gravity of the Arabella, the two ships swam out from the starship, then reeled about with a seemingly effortless, casual grace; a testimony to the skill of the pilots guiding them.   As the distant shuttlebay doors slowly closed, the runabouts altered their heading, gradually picking up speed as they made their way to the planet rotating slowly below.

[iceman]

Myella finished her shift in sickbay and went to the observation deck. She looked out the window just in time to see the backend of the runabouts head toward the planet surface. She placed her hand on the windowpane and whispered quietly to herself...

" Dear God please watch over and keep my beloved Casey safe and bring him back home to me "

Myella stared out at the stars for a few more moments then headed back to deck 2 to her quarters.

She decided to send a communique to her parents, as she spoke the words appeared on the computer terminal. She told her parents about the people she had worked with and about Casey going on an away mission and how she worried about him. She was careful not to reveal any details about her husbands mission and went on to say how she enjoyed her life on the Arabella.

Myella finished her communique and felt better that she was able to vent, but knew it would be several weeks before she would get a reply. She decided that she would go to the afterburner for dinner as it would take her mind off her husband for a little while.

Lt. Peterson opened the door to the Afterburner and her senses were rewarded with a cornucopia of smells which were both pleasant and unknown at the same time.

She took a seat at a window and watched as people entered and left the Afterburner. She marvelled at how diverse the crew of the Arabella was. Their were species from every quadrant and planet that were members of the Federation.

Myellas thoughts drifted back to her husband and wondered how he was doing. At that moment a waiter came and interrupted her thoughts by asking her what she would like to order.

She thought for a moment and decided to try the Rigillian Chocolate mouse that her husband had often raved about. A few moments later she was rewarded with a crystal glass that held a dark brown substance that looked like chocolate pudding her mother used to make.

However she was wrong, this substance was heavenly, the rich velvety texture melted so softly in her mouth and slid down the back of her throat, it was like eating a chocolate cloud with fluffy airpockets of white chocolate that burst into more intense flavours of chocolate of varying intensities and sweetness. Myella had never tasted anything like this in her entire life and made a mental note to thank her husband for suggesting this delightful desert to her when he returned from his away mission planetside.

The desert was finished and reordered again by Myella and by the time she finished her second helping she was full and decided to head back to her quarters and go to bed as she had eaten far too much,but she was happy and content and drifted off to sleep easily.

[Meds]

D'Callan had his eyes closed when the shuttle craft left the dock, he held onto his bag and took a deep breath. Ever since he was a child he'd never really enjoyed travelling on small crafts. The movement made him feel somewhat queasy and the spray that Peterson had given him thankfully had begun to work. In his ind the mission temporarily drifted from his mind and images of a three year old Joseph sprung into his mind. There he was sitting on a shuttle coach holding his stomach as it arched round the Blue Mountains of Australia. D'Callan opened his eyes and took another deep breath, he didn't want to think of that three year old version of himself throwing up over his parents. Looking at Dunn, D'Callan patted his stomach.

"Never a good idea to have a fry up before travelling."

He gave his trade mark wink and re-closed his eyes.

[wraith1701]

joint post by Bryancd and wraith1701-



On board the runabout Shadowfax, K'Tan glanced up as an especially striking figure strode confidently towards his seat.  The man's skin was as black and foreboding as the void itself, and as his piercing eyes swept the seated crewmen, an aura of quiet strength seemed to precede him.  K'Tan felt an odd kinship with the new arrival, and knew immediately that it could be none other than the Chief Engineer, K'arath.

Smiling, K'Tan rose, and grasped the Chief by the forearm.  "Q'pla, Commander!",  the tactical officer said in greeting.  K'arath returned K"Tan's firm grip.  K'arath had been amazed by K'Tan's quick rise through the ranks to his current station, one well earned and well deserved.

"Finally we shall stand together, my brother!"  K'arath replied.  "It will be an honor."

K'Tan pulled out one of Lt. Otak's disguised communicators, and handed it to K'arath.  The engineer studied the device, turning the pendant over slowly in his hand.

"Something to help the away team members keep in touch, should we become separated," K'Tan said.  "As with our standard communicator badges, it also contains an integrated universal translator.  I think it may come in handy; I doubt any of us is fluent in Ter'osik."

The Shadowfax rocked gently as it skimmed the upper atmosphere of Ter'Oss.  Intermittent flashes of blue lit the viewports as the steadily thickening soup of oxygen and nitrogen molecules collided with the runabout's shields.  The ship continued its slow, steady descent; its engines emitting a steadily growing whine as it made the transition from vacuum to atmosphere.  K'Tan and K'arath reclaimed their seats, and within moments, the inky blackness outside gradually lightened; first turning a deep purple, and gradually brightening to a familiar sky-blue. 

K'Tan turned, glancing out the viewport.  A vast expanse of thick clouds spread out below them like an ethereal, pristine carpet of white.  To the west, the light of the planet's sun seemed to set the clouds ablaze; the white of the clouds on the horizon had been turned into an inferno of vibrant reds and yellows.

As he drank in the splendor of the alien sky, K'Tan smiled and quietly gave voice to his thoughts.

"Glorious."

[Jen]

Joint post by Jen and Just X

Aria smiled as she exited the runabout and inhaled the sweet fragrant air on the high plains of Ter'Oss. The deep hum of machinery had been replaced with the sounds of animals scurrying away through the grass and soaring high above. Rina had brought them down at the point where the forest met the plains; the area would serve well as their base of operations.

Violet tinted fruit hung in the trees behind the runabout. Rina's skill at landing had knocked no more than a handful of outgrowth from their limbs. They rolled beneath the ship as the Shadowfax hovered three meters above the surface of the ground to allow the native fauna to continue their lives unmolested; it would remain in this position as a safety precaution.

Despite the fact their small vessel was completely camouflaged, the animals in their vicinity sensed the team's  presence.  Commander Sevryll walked some distance from the ship and gazed up at the early dawn to observe the blue-green sky. She watched with great interest as a flock of bright multi-colored avian, rode swift air currents in accordance with one another. As they preformed their aerial ballet high above, the birds brayed an awkward alarm—a warning to others that danger was near.

The runabout rested roughly eleven kilometers from the nearest settlement. The commander felt it was unlikely that the Ter'Osick had observed their landing, but she could not be entirely certain. Sevryll calculated a three point zero two five percent chance that at least one individual witnessed her team, stepping through a"doorway in the sky."

They were adrift on an undulating sea of scarlet grasses. Sevryll stretched a slender hand to brush the tips of the seed heads as she warily scanned the rolling hills around them, searching for hidden spectators. The open plains offered little in the way of concealment, thus leaving them with no other option than to move out. She flicked a glance to her senior officers before approaching them to discuss their options.

[Geekyfanboy]

Joint post Startrekfanatic5, Wraith 1701, HawkeyeMeds, Moyer777 and Omra

After leaving the shuttlebay of the Arabella, the runabout Courage Of Tiberius shot towards the southern hemisphere of the planet Ter'oss.  Within minutes, the image of the lower portion of the planet grew to dominate the upper half of the ship's forward viewport.

At the pilot's seat, Chief Korridan glanced up at the spinning orb,and smiled. Seated to his left, Captain Quinn found himself sharing the smile.  Quinn couldn't help but sense the pride the chief took in his piloting skills, nor the joy he took in commanding such a fine-tuned, responsive craft.

Korridan's hands danced deftly over the control interface, slowing the ship's approach.  Moments later, the deck of the runabout seemed to sway gently as Koridan took the ship into a sharp bank, then expertly flipped the craft over to present it's belly to the slowly spinning blue and green planet.

Gazing out a nearby viewport, ensign Dunn looked on as "up" and "down" abruptly traded places, and struggled to suppress an acute sense of disorientation and nausea.  Looking on as his subordinate's blue complexion took on a greenish cast, Lt. D'Callan chuckled.

"Not been on many away missions, eh Dunn?" D'Callan asked.

Fighting to conceal his discomfort, Dunn managed a quiet nod of affirmation.  "I assisted Lt. Commander K'Tan with a project on Vulcan before we joined the Arabella, but this is my first official away mission."

D'Callan, himself still feeling the nausea of travel smiled at the Ensign. K'Tans report regarding the promotion of Dunn had been approved in D'Callans mind but this would be a ideal time for the Captain to see how impressive Dunn could be and so make their case easier.

As the ship drew near the outer boundary of the planet's atmosphere, the hull began to gently vibrate.  In an attempt to distract himself, Dunn hurriedly added, "Actually, I don't have a problem with away missions, Sir.  It's the trip to the mission that is giving my stomach such a hard time."

D'Callan looked at the other members of team and then back to Dunn, he leaned forward and tapped his stomach.

"I'll let you into a little secret ensign. You're not the only one. Next time you go on one of these things visit the good Doctor for a bit of help. Travel sickness gets to us all."

Leaning back he closed his eyes for a few seconds, he opened one of  them and looked at Dunn who had copied him.

As the ship descended further into the atmosphere Quinn's mind made contact with the inhabitant. Millions of voices rushed into his head all at once. He took a deep breath and began with process of slowly filtering them out.

Nathan had never processed the thoughts of these new beings and was having some trouble. He noticed Counselor Margon looking over at him.

"Captain" are you alright?

Nathan rubbed his temples, "I don't know, it's all so confusing.  The thoughts are  overwhelming"

"Perhaps we could give you an inhibit..." as Counselor Margon was speaking he was interrupted as Captain Quinn screamed out in pain and grabbed his head with both hands.  He slumped over with his eyes squeezed tightly shut. "Why can't I stop the voices..."

[wraith1701]

Far to the north, Commander Sevryll's team was tentatively exploring their immediate surroundings.

Lt. Commander K'Tan made the short jump from the Shadowfax down to the clearing, reflexively scanning the area for any immediate threats.  Ahead, Commander Sevryll appeared to be doing the same.  K'Tan respected the Commander's field-savvy, and reigned in his instinct to shield her.  He knew that the commander was no novice when it came to away missions, and that she could be counted on to exercise caution.

The Lt. Commander glanced around.  The landscape, while vaguely reminiscent of other M-class worlds, was like nothing he had ever seen before.  Staring at the sea of blood-red grass surrounding them, he knew that there was no chance of him forgetting that this was truly an alien world.  Detecting no immediate threat from the local flora and fauna, K'Tan approached the Vulcan First Officer; she turned and acknowledged him with a slightly raised eyebrow.   

"Excuse me, Commander," K'Tan said.  "I have a proposal.  Once we secure our local base of operations, I recommend that we select a small scouting party.  This party should gather as much information as possible about the nearest gathering of Ter'Osick: their societal structure, social patterns, and customs.   Once we have a firmer understanding of how we should conduct ourselves as Ter'osicks, we can attempt our infiltration of the nearest village.  Hopefully, once we are able to insinuate ourselves into their society, we can pick up some clues about the whereabouts of our missing scientists, and how much damage they may have caused."

K'Tan tapped the stone-looking pendant hanging from his neck.   "The communicator badges that my team put together contain an integrated universal translator program, but we should feed as much data into them as possible before we try to actually use them with a native.  The scouting party should therefore also try and surreptitiously record as wide a sample of the local language as possible."

Sevryll's head tilted slightly as she raised an inquisitive eyebrow.  "Go on, Mr. K'Tan."

"Yes, M'am," he continued.  "I don't think it is wise to send a large group on our initial probe; the less people we send, the less likely we will be discovered before we are ready.  I recommend the scouting team consist of myself and ensign James; I believe the two of us have the  best chance of reconnoitering the nearest settlement without being discovered."  K'Tan paused, not sure how the commander would react to his next suggestion. 

"There is one other team member who is relatively inexperienced, but has some innate talents that may help us.  If I understand correctly, Ensign Farmer has a prodigious sense of smell, as well as the ability to produce pheromones that can affect the mood of other sentients. Her senses will help us to detect any approaching natives, and if we should be discovered, her pheromones may help to convince the natives that we are just part of the crowd.  What do you think?"

[Jen]

Sevryll glanced to her daughter. Concern scuffled with logic despite her knowledge of the young woman's skill set. In another timeline, Aria had gained all the experience necessary to be of help to K'Tan. In this timeline that experience was limited and her instincts as a mother drove the wedge of concern deeper.  The Vulcan shifted her weight as she wrestled her apprehension to the core of her being and glanced back to the Lieutenant Commander, "Your logic is sound." She knew he did not require a reminder to be wary, and his exemplary service on the Tiberius reinforced that fact.

Sevryll joined K'ararth, Ensign Fissual, Ensign Bowers and Chief Rina as they busied themselves with preparations. The day was growing older and there was much to be done.

[iceman]

Joint post Startrekfanatic5 & Iceman

Dr. Peterson jumped out of his seat and moved forward to the Captains position, he flipped open his medical tricorder and ran it up and down the Captains form pressing a few buttons as he went.

The Doctor pulled out his hypo spay and injected a neural inhibitor into the Captains neck, this was followed by the customary "Hissss" sound that let the doctor know that the contents of the hypo spray was being delivered into Captain Quinns neck and would be coursing through his blood to soon relieve him of his pain.

Casey looked at the captain who still had his eyes closed "Captain you should be feeling better". Casey paused a moment and grabbed another hypospray and injected it into Quinn's neck once again. Still there was no change. Nathan fought to keep from crying out in pain as the pressure in his head built. Millions of voices all talking at once.

Peterson's face changed from a look of concern to a look of panic. "Take us back to the ship now!!!" he yelled,

Chief Korridan pulled the shuttle around and began to climb out of the atmosphere. The further they ascended the better Quinn felt; finally the voices were completely gone.

Quinn looked around the shuttle, "I'm sorry I don't know what happened, it was as if I wasn't able to tune out the millions of voices... it was overwhelming." Casey ran a tricorder over the Captain's head. "Sir I don't read any anomalies. Everything seems to be fine." Quinn smiled at the doctor, "I'm alright, but something in this planets atmosphere is interfering with my telepathy and my ability to filter the voices out. I will not be able to lead this away mission". Quinn pressed his comm badge. "Captain Quinn to Lt. James", a few second passed. "James' here Captain.. is everything alright?" "Lt. please see Dr. Drett immediately and have her alter you as quick as possible and met us in shuttle bay 2... I'll explain when we get there.... Quinn out."

[Jen]

Doctor Drett stood within the Shuttle Bay Two as the Courage of Tiberius passed through the force field and came to a rest upon the mirror finish of the deck. The willful Trill pushed past the crewman who had been keeping her back, and jogged to the ship before it came to a complete stop. The door opened on the runabout as she rushed forward, med kit in hand. She paused at the base of the short ramp as two men started down.  The alien features of Doctor Peterson were scribed with concern as he turned his gaze to meet Ryla Drett's.

Casey rattled off the drugs he administered and gave her a quick synopsis of the events leading up to Nathan's episode, as they edged their way down. The petite Trill met them half way and slid under the Captain's free arm to aid him.  With Casey's help, she tried to help the Captain onto an antigrav sled that the medtechs brought to the runabout. "No... I'm better now. I'm just a little tiered," he protested.

Ryla flicked her eyes to one side in order to meet the sluggish captain's, "with respect, sir...that's what they all say right before they pass out." He managed a weary chuckle and allowed the physicians lowered him onto the stretcher. Peterson continued issuing medical advice to the nodding Trill as the medtechs pushed Captain Quinn out of the bay. "Yes sir," she said. "Don't worry, he won't leave my sight until I'm certain he's well."

[X]

Aeric James quietly lay on the biobed as the medical staff completed the last of his modifications. He rose after the medical teams backed away from the bed and looked into the mirror to review the changes.

His skin was now a deep green with long black hair and haunting black eyes.

"Fantastic," Aeric said as he slid off the bed and looked at the collection of brown leather clothes they had laid out for him. According to information they had gathered, it was a fashionable travel outfit and should allow him to blend into the culture with ease.

While many of his colleagues had decided to follow the path of one of the society's nobles, his calculations assured him that blending in with the commoners would give him a better chance of diverting attention from his presence there. He had attended all of the briefing on the planet, but becoming a part of the away team would require him to plan accordingly.

[Jen]

Ensign Tev-Awash's apprehension became exacerbated after witnessing the incident that necessitated their return to the Arabella. Quinn was the first captain she served under, and the fresh faced ensign looked to him as a sort of father figure. Now that he was ill, her anxiety over the mission transitioned to concern for her captain.

The Lorillian had come aboard  Tiberius as a bumbling newbie, but in the final hours of the doomed vessel, she became a dependable officer. As he struggled to keep his ship and crew alive, Nareen had watched Captain Quinn closely during that trying time. Despite indomitable odds, Captain Quinn had managed to see his crew to safety and save the planet Vulcan from certain disaster. Her blue cheeks flushed as she thought of how childish she had been—worrying the way she had about the mission on Ter'Oss. She set her jaw with renewed determination. Captain Quinn had been there for his crew—she would be there for him now—he needed her. It was essential that she preformed her duties to her fullest, and being a "Nervous Nellie" would not help the team accomplish their goals. In her mind she was fervent and resolute, yet as she glanced to her hands she noted how they still shook nervously. If only she could send a signal to the rest of her body that she was calm, cool and collected.

She smiled sheepishly at Enapay who sat next to her aboard the Courage Of Tiberius. He had been watching her carry on conversation with herself, within the privacy of her own mind. The Lieutenant started to speak, but was interrupted when their new teammate entered the runabout. If they hadn't known that Lieutenant Commander James would take Captain Quinn's place, they would never have recognized him. 

[X]

Knowing that the other away team was already on the planet, Aerc wasted no time in giving the orders for the runabout to return to it's previous location.

He mentally process additional information regarding the mission to get him up to speed on any changes they might have been briefed on. Aeric smiled as he looked over the team that they had assembled. As the runabout reentered the atmosphere, he had no doubts that they would succeed in the tasks ahead of them.

"I know that the change in mission leaders is short notice," Aeric said. " but I believe that we can still succeed in the tasks assigned us without further contaminating this culture. Any tools that won't pass inspection as one created in their culture will need to remain at base camp. We need to be swift, professional, and covert for us to be successful. I have no doubts that each of you will perform your jobs with the professionalism and intelligence that is the hallmark of Starfleet."

[Bryancd]

Ensign Dunn stared up at Lt. Commander James. The Captains sudden illness had made them all anxious, but James put that to rest. He knew K'tan's shuttle was already on the planet and he and D'Callan would be in charge of security for this flight. The responsibility made him nervous, but he had D'Callan to lead him and he had the utmost faith in the man. He didn't want to let them down...and he knew he would not.

[wraith1701]

joint post by institches, Just X, and wraith1701-



After several hours of marching across the grassy plain, K'Tan, Aria, and Spring neared the outskirts of the alien settlement. The sun had nearly completed its arc across the sky, and dusk was rapidly descending. As the sky darkened, the scattered, glowing squares of numerous windows could be seen in the distance.

Ter'lara, as ensign James would be called on the mission, walked quietly as a hidden sensor nodes displayed the limited information it could gather directly into her line of sight. She marveled as the buildings in the distance. They appeared to be more sculpted than traditionally fabricated. It was as if the city had been built by master artists and craftsmen.

"My father would love this place," she said in her attempt to speak the Ter'Osik tongue. She had reviewed the linguistic database and via her machines, she had become somewhat conversational with the language. She would need to hear far more of it to fully understand the tone and dialects.

Crouching in the grass to the right of the ensign, K'Tan heard her statement as 'Kheli'-safar bekheir chi tashakkor'. He recognized the language as being one of the primary languages of the Ter'ossik people, but couldn't understand it. He tapped the pendant hanging from his neck, activating it.

"Could you repeat that, ensign?" K'Tan asked.

"I said, 'My father would love this place'," she repeated.  Once again, K'Tan heard the Ter'Ossik, but it was echoed by a translation in the micro-speaker embedded in his ear.

"It is impressive," He replied. "The buildings almost look as though they have been grown, rather than built."

Spring listened quietly to this exchange. To her, it was repetition as the two worked out their communication. The universal translator that translated all communication to scent seemed to be working perfectly. It had been built into the decorative prosthetic ears that graced the sides of her head.

Minutes later, the trio lay concealed in the tall grass bordering a cobblestone path. They froze as a rhythmic, clomping sound rapidly drew near. K'Tan slowly reached out a hand and parted the clump of grass immediately before him. As he looked on, he saw a reptilian, horse-sized animal steadily marching down the path. Each of the creature's six legs ended in steel-shod feet which echoed hollowly as they struck the road's surface.

Thrilled to be seeing a non-holographic creature, Spring took in its musky smell as best she could, given that her gill-slits were closed and she was limited to her nose. "Working, alert but calm. Hungry." It had scented them, but gave little notice as she echoed some of its fragrance back.

K'Tan stiffened as the strange mount  seemed to slow its pace.  After letting loose an agitated snort, it resumed its steady march along the road, and K'Tan felt his heart start beating once again.  As the creature traveled on, K'Tan studied the beast's alien rider.

Sitting astride the mount was a decidedly militaristic looking Ter'Ossik male. The alien was covered from head to toe in a stiff, organic looking armor. Overlapping plates of a dark gray, chitinous substance comprised the bulk of the armor; and a helm that appeared to be fashioned from the same material covered the rider's head. The only exposed areas of skin were his emerald-green face and his ears, which protruded from openings on either side of the helmet.

Apparently agitated with his mount's brief pause, the rider gave the creature's haunch a firm pat.  "Come on, girl, hurry up," the man said in lilting Ter'Ossik.  "My shift ends in a half-cycle, and I don't want to be late for tonight's festival.  Lady Silah has promised me the first dance."