Star Trek Sim/ Star Trek RPG
USS Eagle, NCC 2185

        Image of CENG, face, Human,Female, Russian   Image of LCDR Unstoffe, Human, Male, Norwegian
CDR Valentina Tsiolkovsky, CENG & LCDR Lahrs Unstoffe, CSEC

JOINT LOGS
By Nouri and Unstoffe

        


Title: Decisions, Part One
Setting: USS Eagle
Location: Captain's Ready Room
         
The Chief Engineering is in the Captain's ready room. She is busy at work on something at a terminal, waiting for LCDR Unstoffe to arrive. A lot was weighing on her mind including a major decision she knew she must announce quickly. She had a difficult time with the decision. To her, there were serious negatives  with either direction in the decision and each scenario had a potentially deadly outcome. To her, it was a lose-lose situation and the big question was how to minimize the damage.

The door from the Bridge opens effortlessly and LCDR Unstoffe enters. He pauses momentarily as the door slides back into place behind him and observes CDR Tsiolkovsky at the desk working.

Commander Valentina Ivanova Tereshkova Tsiolkovsky looks up.

"CDR, you said we needed to talk," Unstoffe begins, crossing the short distance to the table.

"Yes. Vhelcome. Several things. Sit," she says.

Pulling out a chair across from her, he sits. Unstoffe was never really comfortable around the Chief Engineer. Although the Eagle is a small ship, they really did not interact much.  She always paid more attention to the engines than to any of the social functions and was much more formal, even in personal settings, than he was.  "At least. Where should we start?" he volunteered.

The CENG notices some discomfort from CSEC. She knew she had a reputation for being harsh and abrupt and was trying her best to put him at ease. She generally didn't mean to be or appear that way but having been brought up the way she was with four older brothers and two hard nosed admirals didn't do much to foster a softer approach to life or people.  Adding to that, Val didn't care much for the CSEC.  Lahrs was casual and lax to her, lacking disciple, manners and decorum.  Briefly she recalled all the trouble he had been in since he was a JO on the Eagle...

"The most critical," she replies. "Vhee may still khave a spy on board and I don't mean the one we are supposed to khaff on board. Vhat are your thoughts on this?" the Chief Engineer and third in command asks.

"I can't rule out the possibility. At this point, it seems likely, but the previous ones may have left enough behind to explain our recent problems. That comms program, for example, had been there for quite some time."  He postulates and continues, almost thinking aloud, ". . . and when was the last time we changed our shield harmonics prior to the last attack?

"It's not SOP to change them but we changed them at Starbase Six during repairs from the Romulan attack... Khow much khan we attribute to Arnold?" she asks. ((https://usseagle2185.tripod.com/unstoffelog20060126.htm & https://usseagle2185.tripod.com/unstoffelog20060202.htm ))

Unstoffe emphasizes his doubts in response.  "That's my point. We can attribute a lot, but we can't be certain. How long was Dr. Pangloss onboard? He may have left a few surprises as well. ((  https://usseagle2185.tripod.com/question_episode17.htm ))

The Russian pauses thoughtfully. "Hmmm quite a long time...before khee vhas discovered. I think though vhee vhoould khaff seen more of khis khandivhorik during the negotiations, etc., if khee khad more surprises in place. Vhee must assume we have another. It is the safest assumption that and that vhee do not know all vhat vhas done," she says.

"Agreed. I have already begun to investigate several odd occurrences of late," he concurs. "One of the difficulties is we've been out for so long without a proper refit. No time for you to take all the systems down and verify they are in spec."

"Vhee had many upgrades vhen vhee put in last at SB6. There vhas not time for khomplete refit but process vhas started," she says.

"And so many adventures since then," Unstoffe replies continuing his last thought.

"Da, vhee should spend several months getting the ship into proper khondition but we khannot," she concurs.

The Eagle had experienced more than its fair share of spies since he reported aboard, and Unstoffe isn't about to drop his guard at this point. He declares, "Nevertheless, until we have such an opportunity, I must assume there remains a spy onboard and seek him, her or it out. Of course, it is impossible to prove a negative."

"I wouldn't rule khim out entirely but I think vhee vhould khaff seen this earlier if it was Pangloss and the Binrahoe vhould khaff used it earlier against us. Nothing is impossible as the Khaptain is too fond of saying. Arnold is more likely for a past one to khave some surprises left. Please do vhat you khan to locate some possibilities for a present spy," she orders.

Unstoffe acknowledges the order, "Aye."

"Next, vhere is khee, the spy vhee are supposed to have? Vhitnesses reported that the Orions did not find khim in khis quarters," Val asks.

"From what I saw, he seems very capable of taking care of himself," he answers.

"That is not necessarily the point," she says. "The Khaptain made it clear to us that khee did not trust the fellow unescorted onboard the Eagle. The restriction to quarters for the spy vhas done both for khis protection and ours. You need to find khim and find khim soon," she cautions.

He gives a quick run-down of the efforts in progress. "We have teams out searching the ship. With internal scanners back on line, it shouldn't take long. I have his biometric profile in the computer. Not only will we find him, we should have a pretty good picture of where he's been."

"Ghood," the CENG says. "Vhen vhas the last time anyone saw khim?" she asks.

Unstoffe replies, "Internal scanners had him in his quarters up until the attack took them off line."

"Khow do you really know khee vhas in khis quarters?" she asks.

"In addition to the scanner lock, there is a guard posted on the door. If he wasn't there, we've got bigger problems. Internal scanners are a big part of the ship's security network," Unstoffe says. He adds, "I had all external computer access to those quarters suspended."

"As it should be. Vhee lost power several times including back in the vhormkhole," she explains. "Vhen vhas last time anyone saw him, directly in person?"

"I'd have to check with the watch to find out the last time anyone actually saw him. He's not officially even here, so we've kept to a minimum anyone actually seeing him. There's a guard on his door and internal scanners are kept locked on him at all times," he reiterates.

"Petrescu knannot remember the last time she khass seen khim. That does not khaff to mean anything but it is interesting," she notes.

The Eagle was not large as starships go. Unstoffe is confident his security teams will track the spy down. He promises, "If he's not in his quarters, when we find him I'll just assign him new quarters in the brig."

"Next subject. Khoming signal. Khomms. Vhe vhill use homing signal to lure whoever is tracking us. You vhill prepare two probes. One to act as decoy with signal. Another to watch that probe discretely from a safe distance. Then the vhatcher probe vhill follow whoever shows up. I vhill see if we can make another tick probe to do that job. It is more important that we do this quickly than use the tick," she explains.

Unstoffe replies, "CDR, two points. First, are you assuming command? Our last orders from the Captain were to remain undetected. This seems to contradict that order. Second, it seems like we know who was using it. The Orions are the only ones to find us after we escaped the Romulans. If the signal is unencrypted, then anyone with a receiver can pick it up and follow us. It won't tell us who planted it."

"I vhas saving admin for last. Yes, I vhill assume khommand but under circumstances I must delegate the khonn to you.Vhee have an ill Khaptain, in and out of consciousness. A missing XO. A damaged ship on an important mission that is most assuredly going to be attacked and attacked again and again until vhee ghive up the spy or get blown up. Neither of which I intend to permit," she says.

She continues, "The two persons I'd trust to take over engineering at this time are Vulcans who are still suffering from the damage the vhormhole aliens caused them. The next two people senior to myself on the ship, you and the CMO do not khaff enough technical experience to do this job either. There is no one else who can take over engineering under khombat situations. Adding to that vheeth a ship this size, one mistake is alvhays the last."

"I vhill assume khommand as Acting Khaptain, but I am forced by circumstances to delegate the khonn to you. You vhill become Acting XO. Your orders are to keep your previous one, remain at silent running. Your new orders are to change course. I vhill explain course change in moment." she starts to say.

"First, making a dummy broadcast probe  does not contradict the CO's orders of having the Eagle run silent."

"CDR, if I may. . ."

"Yes?" she asks.

"The Kaptein was unaware of the signal, as were we all. I don't quite think that fits the spirit of the order," he observes. He adds, "However, as it is the probe that is emitting the signal and not us, I think it fits within the letter of the law. I will have a probe programmed, but I don't agree with the tactic."

"Obviously the CO did not know," she says slowly. "We khan now run silent without broadcasting a signal. Your objection is noted. Your agreement is not needed. Most of these type of Orions are not known for missing a chance for profit. Vhee may khaff larger ships khoming for us, best they find the probe. I think you khaff missed the most important challenge vhee khaff. Care to guess?" she asks.

Unstoffe responds levelly, "No, I don't think so. The most important challenge we have is to complete the ship's assigned mission. We have to deliver the spy to his ultimate destination."

Tsiolkovsky smiles oddly. "And khow do vhee do this?" she asks.

Unstoffe points out, "First, we need to know where that is. The CO should have a copy of the orders in his private safe. As acting CO, you now have authority to open it."

"Very ghood. You see the problem. You vhill change course. Anything for now is best but vhee need to find out vhere khee vhass kheaded. Do NOT tell the crew you do not know vhere vhee are supposed to go. Make up some khousre changes every so often and if anyone asks, just say you're following orders. Make sure changes keep us safe and away from major space lanes. I vhill check on the CO and see khow khee is doing. After that, vhee vhill see vhat needs to be done," she orders.

Unstoffe replies, "Certainly. I recommend we search out any anomalies that might mask our warp trail."

"Ghood idea. Proceed. Any idea vhat happened to XO?" she asks.

Unstoffe answers, "He was out touring the spaces prior to the attack. Perhaps he ran into the Orions. They like to take prisoners."

"Find out," she orders. "Prisoners for ransom? No messages?  Prisoners for information . . . much more likely," she speculates aloud.

He responds, "Prisoners to sell on the slave market more likely: unless they find him useful in tracking us."

"Then vhy not take more? Anyone else missing?" she counters. ~~XO knew the destination. If they could get it from him... there doesn't need to be one single more attack or any need to track us. We just drop off the spy into whoeever is paying the Orion's waiting hands and it is over, ~~ she thought but did not say.

"Two others did not report in during the red alert. We're checking on them as well," he reports.

"Let me know vhat you find out and vhere they vhere last," she orders. ~~Three in total were not very many if this was a slaving run- even if it was tacked on as extras with the primary mission of capturing the spy. And if it was a slaving run, why so small a ship to start with? Why also add prisoners who would be trying to escape and help the spy escape? No, this is scenario extremely unlikley,~~ she thought.

"Of course," he replies.

"I vhill go see Khaptain. I khaff already given orders to engineering for tick probe, etc., etc., etc. That reminds me . . . parasites? Khow did they get on board?" she asks.
.
Medical had barely reported the parasites before the attack. While they had begun decontamination procedures, no one from the medical staff had reported their source. "Unknown. Recommendation on probe," he suggests.

"Yes?" she says.

"If we are using it to throw off any pursuers, recommend having multiple probes programmed with the homing signal. Send them on different vectors and activate on delayed time intervals," he outlines briefly.

"Ghood idea overall.  Make the probes with delayed start  broadcasting times.  Vhee can talk more on this later. I vhant to keep the pursuers believing the ruse as long as possible. Vhere vhass Flayton saying to go?" she asks.

"He wants us back at Starbase Six.  XO had concurred on ignoring him," he recounts.

"Let's send khim, if it vhas khim, probe instead," she orders. Val had a low opinion of this admiral as did her parents. She knows that Admiral Flayton might be stupid enough to have given the orders to return to the Starbase, but since messages had been faked from SB6 to the Eagle, Val is going to use this as the official reason to not set a course to the Starbase. She had learned a few tricks growing up as a Starfleet brat with two admirals as parents.

With a wry grin, Unstoffe agrees whole heartedly, "Sure, I'll aim one probe at Starbase  Six."

She smiles at his reaction. Apparently they had in common, if nothing else, a similar opinion of the Admiral. "Send a vhatcher vith this one. Vhork out directions and delays vith me later. I vhant to be careful to sustain the ruse as long as possible," she orders.

"Understood," he acknowledges simply.

"Anything else?" she asks.

"No. I'll keep you informed of happenings on the bridge," he affirms.

"Ghood,"  she  says, shutting down terminal.  "I'll see khow the Khaptain is doing. I'll khaff ((my cell phone er I mean )) khommunicator on, CENG freq for now.  You may khontact me that vhay if needed. Dismissed," she says, eager to finish some more admin and visit the Captain.

With a brief nod, Unstoffe turns and departs the ready room.


          

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