Mission 9: Tears of Procopius

[Bridge]

Buris was sitting at the Ops board trying to ignore the craziness going on around him with people stepping in and a "simple" planetary recon mission turning into a crisis for the ship. It was his first mission, but he was coming used to it. And without prompting, thanks to the way things had gone with Engineering's brush-off answer, he was already working with the comms array, glad he'd ordered those extra comm and transport beacons onto the runabout.

Quote :

=/\=You've got Kaz in Engineering. I think we'll be alright Ensign. We're currently running level 3 diagnostics. As soon as we have something we'll let you know.=/\=

Buris tapped the button on his board with a smooth motion before switching back to his beacon and shuttle controls. The look on his face could be described charitably as a deep frown.

=/\="Kaz, we're not going to start playing games with the warp-core here. There are 750 souls on this vessel, less the crew in the runabout who are just as reliant on us as anyone else; I don't want to have a small flutter turn into a core malfunction. So bump that up to a level 2 diagnostic and throw a forcefield from an independently powered generator around any of the EPS intakes or outflows that are showing these irregularities."=/\=

Quote :

A small warning sounded as the Monongahela lost communications with the ship. "See what you can do to re-establish that link," he calmly said, standing from the command chair and walking toward the helm and ops forward consoles.

In the end, he decided to let it slide. Growing soft in your old age, Stark thought, frowning. "Launch a Class-5 recon probe. Even if we can't establish a visual, we might be able to get voice-link."

Buris barely looked up, his fingers flying across his board. "Already on it, sir. I had the Shuttlebay load on some additional comm and transporter beacons to the Monongahela, just in case. If I can't raise them through those, even a Type-5 recon probe isn't going to do any good. We'd have to move closer to the planet - and frankly I can't suggest that, given that our engine room seems to be unable or unwilling to actually resolve those anomalous readings. Permission to dispatch Operations repair team to override the engineer - given that ship's Chief Engineer is down on the planet."

This was the difference between having a rank amateur on the bridge and a man who'd worked his rear off to earn his commission. He had at first been uncomfortable regarding the Admiral as Captain, but now he was just working because there was something real to focus on that was infinitely more important than simple on-ship politicking. His voice was fast, his fingers were faster as he continued working on resolving the problem. He exhaled hard through his nose and tapped the board again before speaking.

=/\="Monongahela, this is Phoenix Operations. Runabout, come in! Again, this is Ensign Kejal in Operations aboard the Phoenix - come in please, Monongahela"=/\=

He'd punched every comm array they had to full power (and had begun to notice the same odd fluctuations as soon as he focused them to the planet), and had directed it to the shuttlecraft with everything he could muster.

He turned to the Admiral and shrugged, his voice was quiet as they awaited a response. "Admiral, if that ship's comm array, or any of their commbadges, are working, they should have heard me. Hell, with the amount of power I just put out, a deaf man should be able to hear it standing on the far side of Alpha Centauri. But if Science's model's correct, those fluctuations get stronger as you get closer to the planet's surface. If one of them washed over the comm alignment, or the Cochrane field developer that allows for subspace communication at just the wrong time, we'd might as well switch to visual and start looking for smoke signals. I'm not hearing anything back from them across both subspace and sublight spectra."

He looked up, not like a little kid looking to be praised, but as a damned soul going to hell and looking for one last reprieve. Buris done everything in his power at the moment - and if he'd overstepped his rank, it was only in the service of his duty - the efficient and safe operation of this vessel and her crew.

He decided that this planet wouldn't beat him and began running calculations on the side while he working hard on raising the runabout.

[Bridge]

Face unreadable, Stark listened to the explanation given by the new Ops officer, nodding slightly. The kid certainly thought a lot of himself, but there was nothing wrong with that...if it was backed up by actual working knowledge. Which he seemed to have. Stark did a quick calculation of the man's age, figuring that he would have definitely seen some stuff during the Occupation of Bajor. Anyone raised in that Cardie-forged crucible would be lucky to come out with a shred of pleasantry left in them.

"Engineering will be fine for now, Mr. Kejal," he quietly said. Kaz was four hundred years old, and could probably handle being openly insulted on public channels. Still, he wasn't keen on having takeovers occur every time officers felt like they were better at a certain job than others. That was exactly what had landed Jiseth in front of a tribunal. He felt there was still enough wiggle-room to give Ensign Kaz's department the benefit of the doubt. "You are certainly free to dispatch help down there to liaise with Engineering, however." They were the same division, after all.

He moved closer to the Sciences console. "Chief Arthur is half-Centauran," Stark mused. "So let's hope he can hear that shout. Julia," he asked, turning to the acting XO. "Is there anything significant to the energy readings, yet? Any kind of possible pattern beyond a raw stream?"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Well...I'll be damned, Gabriel thought, staring in wonderment at the crystalline worldscape that unfurled before them.  With all that they'd faced in the past few months, it was nice sometimes just to...feel a sense of wonder.  It was good to remember why in the hell they were all out here and doing this job in the first place.

Gabe quirked an eyebrow, sidling up to Archangel as she knelt down to touch a flower-like thing.  He thought about reminding her not to touch strange plants (remembering, of course, the time spores from the Beta Quadrant had driven most of the Athena bugnuts insane), but she was his XO here, and not just his wife.

"Gonna put it in your pocket and take it home?" he asked, grinning.  It turned to a slight frown, though, at the expression on her face.  "Everything ok?"

[Planetside]

Looking up at Gabriel as she heard his voice close by, Archangel smiled slightly, letting her hand drop from her head. The last thing she wanted on this away mission was to give him any reason to worry about her. It had been a while since she had participated in an away mission after all. Captains generally weren't allowed to leave the ship on such 'dangerous' adventures.

"I think I'd probably kill it, even without meaning to," she replied with a joking smile. "I'm no botanist. Maybe we should take some cutting back for the Klingon on Athena." Straightening up, she dusted off the knees of her uniform. "And I'm fine. Don't worry."

Corman Stark wrote:

[Bridge]

Face unreadable, Stark listened to the explanation given by the new Ops officer, nodding slightly.  The kid certainly thought a lot of himself, but there was nothing wrong with that...if it was backed up by actual working knowledge.  Which he seemed to have.  Stark did a quick calculation of the man's age, figuring that he would have definitely seen some stuff during the Occupation of Bajor.  Anyone raised in that Cardie-forged crucible would be lucky to come out with a shred of pleasantry left in them.

"Engineering will be fine for now, Mr. Kejal," he quietly said.  Kaz was four hundred years old, and could probably handle being openly insulted on public channels.  Still, he wasn't keen on having takeovers occur every time officers felt like they were better at a certain job than others.  That was exactly what had landed Jiseth in front of a tribunal.  He felt there was still enough wiggle-room to give Ensign Kaz's department the benefit of the doubt.  "You are certainly free to dispatch help down there to liaise with Engineering, however."  They were the same division, after all.

He moved closer to the Sciences console.  "Chief Arthur is half-Centauran," Stark mused.  "So let's hope he can hear that shout.  Julia," he asked, turning to the acting XO.  "Is there anything significant to the energy readings, yet?  Any kind of possible pattern beyond a raw stream?"

[Bridge]

Julia glanced down to her display. "I've been running continuous scans sir but nothing has presented itself as a pattern. I'll try to enhance the sensor resolution." She wasn't entirely certain what the admiral was expecting find find but he seemed to be looking for something specific.

Kejal Buris wrote:

=/\="Kaz, we're not going to start playing games with the warp-core here. There are 750 souls on this vessel, less the crew in the runabout who are just as reliant on us as anyone else; I don't want to have a small flutter turn into a core malfunction. So bump that up to a level 2 diagnostic and throw a forcefield from an independently powered generator around any of the EPS intakes or outflows that are showing these irregularities."=/\=

Leela rolled her eyes. bridge officers! She thought with a certain amount of sarcasm. Her feelings about the relationships between the Bridge and Engineering were fairly well known.

=/\=I think we've got it under control, Ensign. I should have the results from the diagnostics momentarily. As soon as I know something I'll relay that information to you.=/\=

[Planetside - Shuttle]

Concerned by the break in communication between the shuttle and the Phoenix in orbit, Persephone had remained aboard the shuttle upon landing in order to try to get through the atmospheric anomalies and get a comm channel back open. She wasn't much of an engineer, but they had loaded enough equipment into the shuttle that she should be able to figure out how to use something.

After setting up the additional subspace relays that had been sent down with the shuttle, Persephone sat down in the pilot's chair once again, starting to input various commands to try to get through the interference to the ship.

Kejal Buris wrote:

=/\="Monongahela, this is Phoenix Operations. Runabout, come in! Again, this is Ensign Kejal in Operations aboard the Phoenix - come in please, Monongahela"=/\=

The line was faint and dropped in and out of clarity, but it was a line. Without any more definite knowledge of how the communication channels worked, the young Caitian wasn't willing to try to clean it up any further for fear of losing what little she had.

=/\=Phoenix? Phoenix, this is the Ensign M'Rrrrrai on the shuttlecrrrraft Monongahela, can you hearrrr me?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Looking up at Gabriel as she heard his voice close by, Archangel smiled slightly, letting her hand drop from her head. The last thing she wanted on this away mission was to give him any reason to worry about her. It had been a while since she had participated in an away mission after all. Captains generally weren't allowed to leave the ship on such 'dangerous' adventures.

"I think I'd probably kill it, even without meaning to," she replied with a joking smile. "I'm no botanist. Maybe we should take some cutting back for the Klingon on Athena." Straightening up, she dusted off the knees of her uniform. "And I'm fine. Don't worry."

[Planetside]

Of course Gabriel didn't entirely believe her, but he wasn't going to get into an argument on Archangel's health and well-being on the surface of a crystal planet.  "Alright, then," Gabe smiled, fully intending to surreptitiously ask Kintiss to keep an eye on her.  Or two.

Persephone wrote:

=/\=Phoenix? Phoenix, this is the Ensign M'Rrrrrai on the shuttlecrrrraft Monongahela, can you hearrrr me?"

However, he was distracted by the calls coming from the cockpit.  Apparently, the energy had scrambled out their comms.  While that wasn't surprising, he did recall that Ops had stocked them to the roof with various probes and sensors and relays.  It was time to make use of them.  "Excuse me, I have miracles to work," he said, winking at his wife.  "Saf, give me a hand moving this stuff out of the cargo bay, would you?"

[USS Phoenix - Chief Engineer's Office]

Aria tossed in her pod bed, frowning as she sat up.  The holositter sat idle in 'nap-mode', since the little girl had been asleep.  Why did all the big people keep talking?  Didn't they know that she was trying to nap?  She knew mommy and daddy wanted her to take naps so that she and Ika wouldn't fight.  

She slipped out of the bed, clambering up into the chair at her daddy's desk.  Ika had taught her how to do a lot of things, and she remembered how to open the drawer with various parts and pieces.  As Aria picked out a triangle-shaped piece of metal, she slapped her hand on it like she saw her parents do. She would have preferred to just go out into the room with the big glowing thing, but the holositter wouldn't allow it while daddy was gone.

=^="Miss Lee!  There's a lot of talking and I can't sleep."=^=

[Planetside]

Gavin continued to fiddle with his instrumentation, wondering what he was missing. It almost seemed like the tricorders themselves were being overwhelmed by the amount of information. And the amount of information seemed to increase whenever he got closer to one of the crystalline columns. And so he did just that.

"T'Lara," he mused. "I'd swear that these energy bursts are like pulses. Long pulses, short pulses. Almost like the Ancient Earth method of long-distance communication, but...that's not a good enough explanation for it."

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

[Planetside]

Gavin continued to fiddle with his instrumentation, wondering what he was missing.  It almost seemed like the tricorders themselves were being overwhelmed by the amount of information.  And the amount of information seemed to increase whenever he got closer to one of the crystalline columns.  And so he did just that.

"T'Lara," he mused.  "I'd swear that these energy bursts are like pulses.  Long pulses, short pulses.  Almost like the Ancient Earth method of long-distance communication, but...that's not a good enough explanation for it."

[Planetside]

When they landed, T'Lara exited the shuttle craft and pulled out her tricorder. She noticed that everyone was staring around them in wonder. She was more interested in the tricorder readings. The crystal structures generated a heap of information, information that she would like to study further in a lab. Following Gavin, she stared up at one of the tall crystal columns.

"That may not be the explanation, Lieutenant, but we may find it if we examine the source," she said, referring to the structures.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Planetside]

Of course Gabriel didn't entirely believe her, but he wasn't going to get into an argument on Archangel's health and well-being on the surface of a crystal planet.  "Alright, then," Gabe smiled, fully intending to surreptitiously ask Kintiss to keep an eye on her.  Or two.



However, he was distracted by the calls coming from the cockpit.  Apparently, the energy had scrambled out their comms.  While that wasn't surprising, he did recall that Ops had stocked them to the roof with various probes and sensors and relays.  It was time to make use of them.  "Excuse me, I have miracles to work," he said, winking at his wife.  "Saf, give me a hand moving this stuff out of the cargo bay, would you?"

[USS Phoenix - Chief Engineer's Office]

Aria tossed in her pod bed, frowning as she sat up.  The holositter sat idle in 'nap-mode', since the little girl had been asleep.  Why did all the big people keep talking?  Didn't they know that she was trying to nap?  She knew mommy and daddy wanted her to take naps so that she and Ika wouldn't fight.  

She slipped out of the bed, clambering up into the chair at her daddy's desk.  Ika had taught her how to do a lot of things, and she remembered how to open the drawer with various parts and pieces.  As Aria picked out a triangle-shaped piece of metal, she slapped her hand on it like she saw her parents do.  She would have preferred to just go out into the room with the big glowing thing, but the holositter wouldn't allow it while daddy was gone.

=^="Miss Lee!  There's a lot of talking and I can't sleep."=^=

[Engineering]

Leela was working on analyzing the incoming sensor data. Engineering was a blur of activity. As she was shoulder deep in data she heard Aria calling from Gabe's office.  Just what I need. She thought.

=/\=I'm sorry sweetheart. We'll try to be quiet. Can you do me a favor and try to take a nap... Just try.=/\=

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Planetside]

Of course Gabriel didn't entirely believe her, but he wasn't going to get into an argument on Archangel's health and well-being on the surface of a crystal planet.  "Alright, then," Gabe smiled, fully intending to surreptitiously ask Kintiss to keep an eye on her.  Or two.



However, he was distracted by the calls coming from the cockpit.  Apparently, the energy had scrambled out their comms.  While that wasn't surprising, he did recall that Ops had stocked them to the roof with various probes and sensors and relays.  It was time to make use of them.  "Excuse me, I have miracles to work," he said, winking at his wife.  "Saf, give me a hand moving this stuff out of the cargo bay, would you?"

[Planetside]

Beautiful as it was, there was something about the planet that was making Safefta feel uneasy... Though she wondered if it was that, or the pressure still sitting behind her ears and the ticklin in her head. Too much caffeine from her coffee, maybe?

The Romulan shrugged it off, but still would up reacting to Gabriel's request a half a beat slower than her normal reaction time. "I do not object to doing so," she said flatly before moving to assist. Not as though it mattered if she objected. Stating that she didn't quarrel with the notion was simply another of those Human pleasantries.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Beautiful as it was, there was something about the planet that was making Safefta feel uneasy... Though she wondered if it was that, or the pressure still sitting behind her ears and the ticklin in her head. Too much caffeine from her coffee, maybe?

The Romulan shrugged it off, but still would up reacting to Gabriel's request a half a beat slower than her normal reaction time. "I do not object to doing so," she said flatly before moving to assist. Not as though it mattered if she objected. Stating that she didn't quarrel with the notion was simply another of those Human pleasantries.

[Planetside]

"I'm glad you don't object," Gabriel replied, giving Safefta a puckish grin. "I'd hate to have a grievance filed against me." Pardek was one nut (using the term colloquially, of course) that was tough to crack. She and Archangel were friends, ostensibly, but the Romulan girl still kept so much to herself. His attempts over the years to warm her up had usually just been met with flat indifference.

Oh well. Horses to water, and all that. Gabriel and Safefta had the various probes out of storage in no time. Since the comm enhancer had been configured for a manual surface usage, it had a little control panel on the side. Gabe set to poking and prodding. "Aint' it kinda weird, us being down here with a breathable atmosphere, and yet this whole world is basically one big crystal chime?" he idly asked as he worked. "Guess that's why I'm an engineer and not as scientist...okay, M'Rai, go ahead and try to punch it through to the Phoenix again."

[USS Phoenix - Engineering]

Leela Kaz wrote:

=/\=I'm sorry sweetheart. We'll try to be quiet. Can you do me a favor and try to take a nap... Just try.=/\=

Frowning, Aria wondered how she could make the big lady understand what she meant. Aria liked Miss Lee because she was her daddy's friend, and was very nice, but sometimes big people didn't know what was going on.

=^="It's not you. Its the other voices. The ones in my ears. They won't be quiet."=^=

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Oh well.  Horses to water, and all that.  Gabriel and Safefta had the various probes out of storage in no time.  Since the comm enhancer had been configured for a manual surface usage, it had a little control panel on the side.  Gabe set to poking and prodding.  "Aint' it kinda weird, us being down here with a breathable atmosphere, and yet this whole world is basically one big crystal chime?" he idly asked as he worked.  "Guess that's why I'm an engineer and not as scientist...okay, M'Rai, go ahead and try to punch it through to the Phoenix again."

[Planetside - Shuttle]

Persephone was delighted to see that the Chief Engineer and one of the security personnel had come to her aid. She had no idea how to set up the communication enhancers, so it was very possible that her previous message hadn't gotten through the interference in the planet's atmosphere.

"Thanks forrrr the assist," she said, smiling at the pair. "I don't seem to be getting thrrrrough to them rrrrright now."

At the Chief's suggestion, the young Caitian turned back to her console, trying once again to hail the Phoenix above them.

=/\=Phoenix, this is Ensign M'Rrrrrai on the shuttlecrrrraft Monongehla, can you hearrrrrr me?=/\=

[Planetside - Outside the shuttle]

Since her specialty was in engineering and not in the sciences, not to mention the fact that her role in the away mission was 'lead it', Archangel was finding herself at a loss for something to do. Gabriel, Safefta and the young pilot were busy trying to get communication back with the ship, Gavin and T'Lara were busy starting to look at the planet's strange flora, even Kintiss seemed to observing his surroundings with some interest.

With a quiet sigh, the young Romulan mused that she should probably get out her tricorder and start taking some readings for the science department to analyse once they got back onto the ship, but it would help if she actually knew what she was looking for.

It would also help if she could get rid of this damnable headache! It gave a particularly painful throb, causing her to sag against the side of the shuttle, leaning on it for support as her hand went to her temple, pressing the heel of her palm into it as if to try to relieve the pressure.

T'Lara wrote:

When they landed, T'Lara exited the shuttle craft and pulled out her tricorder. She noticed that everyone was staring around them in wonder. She was more interested in the tricorder readings. The crystal structures generated a heap of information, information that she would like to study further in a lab. Following Gavin, she stared up at one of the tall crystal columns.

"That may not be the explanation, Lieutenant, but we may find it if we examine the source," she said, referring to the structures.

[Planetside]

"We just may," Gavin answered, smiling at the Vulcan. He didn't really expect her to smile back, but this was pretty exciting. It almost made up for the fact that he hadn't the slightest clue as to what any of it all meant.

Or...did he have clues?

Think, just think, he...thought, as they rounded a column of solid crystal. The pulsating energy continued. "It's almost like it's too much for even the tricorders to handle. I think we need to get these readings pumped directly to the Phoenix. The sensor pod would be able to better handle the raw data."

Turning to go back to the runabout, Gavin took a step forward. There was a sound like the shattering of glass, and...just like that, he was gone.

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

[Planetside]

"We just may," Gavin answered, smiling at the Vulcan.  He didn't really expect her to smile back, but this was pretty exciting.  It almost made up for the fact that he hadn't the slightest clue as to what any of it all meant.

Or...did he have clues?

Think, just think, he...thought, as they rounded a column of solid crystal.  The pulsating energy continued.  "It's almost like it's too much for even the tricorders to handle.  I think we need to get these readings pumped directly to the Phoenix.  The sensor pod would be able to better handle the raw data."

Turning to go back to the runabout, Gavin took a step forward.  There was a sound like the shattering of glass, and...just like that, he was gone.

[Planetside]

"I agree," T'Lara said as Gavin said her thoughts out loud. She took one last look at the crystalline wonderland, then she heard a strange sound. Turning around with her fingers suspended over the tricorder, she froze. Gavin was gone. Scanning her immediate surroundings with her eyes, she found nothing but the crystal columns.

Suddenly she felt pressure pressing on her forehead so intense that she dropped her tricorder and it took her a minute to suppress the pain. When it was gone, she picked up her tricorder and jogged back to the shuttle.

When she got there she saw Archangel leaning against the shuttle craft. Perhaps they were experiencing the same symptoms. Slowing to a walk, she approached the craft and halted. At that moment the pain threatened to return, but she fought against it.  

" Commander, Lieutenant Van Gelder has disappeared. We were examining the crystalline structures, then I heard a sound like breaking glass and when I looked at my surroundings he was gone. I would recommend that every member of the away team reconvene at the shuttle craft."

She didn't know which members of the away team had ventured out like she and Gavin had, but she knew that it would be better for everyone to stick together from now on.

Quote :

=/\=Phoenix, this is Ensign M'Rrrrrai on the shuttlecrrrraft Monongehla, can you hearrrrrr me?=/\=

Buris almost wanted to cheer when he heard the cat woman's voice across the ship's comm.  Her long 'r's were making it hard to understand the message, but he figured that if he tried to get her off the comm, she'd get more insulted than she'd ever have to be.  He didn't look up at the Admiral as he touched the signal button again, taking a breath and speaking calmly.

=/\="Ensign M'Rai, we can hear you, but just barely!  Status report!  Did you land safely?  Is anyone injured?  What's going on down there?"=/\=

Buris was used to answering the important questions first - if they landed safely, they could probably take off safely.  If anyone was hurt, that'd change.  But first things first.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

[Planetside]

"I'm glad you don't object," Gabriel replied, giving Safefta a puckish grin.  "I'd hate to have a grievance filed against me."  Pardek was one nut (using the term colloquially, of course) that was tough to crack.  She and Archangel were friends, ostensibly, but the Romulan girl still kept so much to herself.  His attempts over the years to warm her up had usually just been met with flat indifference.

Oh well.  Horses to water, and all that.  Gabriel and Safefta had the various probes out of storage in no time.  Since the comm enhancer had been configured for a manual surface usage, it had a little control panel on the side.  Gabe set to poking and prodding.  "Aint' it kinda weird, us being down here with a breathable atmosphere, and yet this whole world is basically one big crystal chime?" he idly asked as he worked.  "Guess that's why I'm an engineer and not as scientist...okay, M'Rai, go ahead and try to punch it through to the Phoenix again."

[Planet]

The stacking and moving took very little time, but Safefta found herself feeling increasingly uneasy. It still wasn't anything to put a name to, but there was definitely something wrong with the way she was feeling. The Romulan lifted her head to look around. Is was as beautiful as it was when they landed... But it wasn't just that.

She started to hear what Gabriel was saying, but the pressure in her ears grew exponentially and the tinge in her skull turned into a stab. She missed everything he saed past the first three words. She froze in place, but didn't allow herself to change her expression, despite the sudden, overwhelming fuzziness that was creeping into her brain.

"Hmm," she offered unhelpfully, a troubled look creeping through her stout poker face. "Do... You hear that?" She muttered slowly, sounding distant, as though struggling to shake off a very bad headache.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

It would also help if she could get rid of this damnable headache!  It gave a particularly painful throb, causing her to sag against the side of the shuttle, leaning on it for support as her hand went to her temple, pressing the heel of her palm into it as if to try to relieve the pressure.

[Planetside]

Maybe it was some kind of sixth sense medical officers had, but Kintiss could tell when someone wasn't feeling their best. It took a bit of courage to leave the relative warmth of the shuttle, but he made his way over to the Captain-or was it former Captain now? Things changed way too quickly on this ship.

"Are you alright, Captain?" he asked as he extracted the medical tricorder from the medkit and gave her a quick once-over. The results were interesting, to say the least. Physically she was fine, but the tricorder was detecting stimulation of certain parts of her brain that, in Vulcanoids at least, corresponded with their telepathic abilities.

"Fasssscinating," he muttered as he reviewed the readings.

Kintiss wrote:

Maybe it was some kind of sixth sense medical officers had, but Kintiss could tell when someone wasn't feeling their best. It took a bit of courage to leave the relative warmth of the shuttle, but he made his way over to the Captain-or was it former Captain now? Things changed way too quickly on this ship.

"Are you alright, Captain?" he asked as he extracted the medical tricorder from the medkit and gave her a quick once-over. The results were interesting, to say the least. Physically she was fine, but the tricorder was detecting stimulation of certain parts of her brain that, in Vulcanoids at least, corresponded with their telepathic abilities.

"Fasssscinating," he muttered as he reviewed the readings.

[Planetside - Outside the shuttle]

It took a bit of effort to focus on Kintiss, squinting at him. It felt as if someone had taken a metal band and was tightening it around her head, not helped by the occasional shiver of cold. Taking a deep breath, Archangel tried to stand up straight, to tell the medic that she was fine, but no sooner had she made the effort than she sagged again.

"No, I'm not. Can you give me something for this damned headache?" she mumbled, letting herself slide down the side of the shuttle to sit on the ground and looking up at the Selay. "What's fascinating?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

It took a bit of effort to focus on Kintiss, squinting at him.  It felt as if someone had taken a metal band and was tightening it around her head, not helped by the occasional shiver of cold.  Taking a deep breath, Archangel tried to stand up straight, to tell the medic that she was fine, but no sooner had she made the effort than she sagged again.

"No, I'm not.  Can you give me something for this damned headache?" she mumbled, letting herself slide down the side of the shuttle to sit on the ground and looking up at the Selay.  "What's fascinating?"

[Planetside]

"The readingsss from the tricorder," Kintiss explained "they're consssissstent with telepathic activity in Vulcanoidsss. It'sss possssible sssomething on thisss planet isss trying to make contact through telepathy." Telepathy was something he'd had a professional interest in as a doctor. Selay weren't telepathic, but the field fascinated him. In fact, he was willing to bet that the other Vulcanoids on the away team were experiencing similar symptoms.

Kintiss wrote:

"The readingsss from the tricorder," Kintiss explained "they're consssissstent with telepathic activity in Vulcanoidsss. It'sss possssible sssomething on thisss planet isss trying to make contact through telepathy." Telepathy was something he'd had a professional interest in as a doctor. Selay weren't telepathic, but the field fascinated him. In fact, he was willing to bet that the other Vulcanoids on the away team were experiencing similar symptoms.

[Planetside]

Letting out a growl of frustration, Archangel tried not to direct it at the medic standing over her. She disliked telepathy at the best of times, the concept of someone else being able to get into her head, into a space that she so carefully guarded and kept secret being one that she disliked intensely.

"I'm not telepathic, Kintiss," she growled. "I don't have that ability! I've never shown any signs of it, so how could they be trying to contact me?"

Safefta Pardek wrote:

The stacking and moving took very little time, but Safefta found herself feeling increasingly uneasy. It still wasn't anything to put a name to, but there was definitely something wrong with the way she was feeling. The Romulan lifted her head to look around. Is was as beautiful as it was when they landed... But it wasn't just that.

She started to hear what Gabriel was saying, but the pressure in her ears grew exponentially and the tinge in her skull turned into a stab. She missed everything he saed past the first three words. She froze in place, but didn't allow herself to change her expression, despite the sudden, overwhelming fuzziness that was creeping into her brain.

"Hmm," she offered unhelpfully, a troubled look creeping through her stout poker face. "Do... You hear that?" She muttered slowly, sounding distant, as though struggling to shake off a very bad headache.

[Planetside]

"Hear?" Gabriel asked, frowning. "Hear what?" Really, the only thing he could hear that was out of the usual was the constant, nigh-musical sound of the wind as it touched against the crystalline columns and spires. "Is everything ok? Maybe we should ask -- "

He noticed a small commotion to the far end of the runabout, watching as Archangel slumped against the shuttle. In a heartbeat, Gabriel was to his feet and bounding over there. Thankfully, Kintiss had arrived first, saving him the trouble of calling for the Selay. "Arch! What's wrong?"

T'Lara wrote:

" Commander, Lieutenant Van Gelder has disappeared. We were examining the crystalline structures, then I heard a sound like breaking glass and when I looked at my surroundings he was gone. I would recommend that every member of the away team reconvene at the shuttle craft."

Gabriel's brain struggled to process all the information that was coming in at once. His concern for his wife threatened to override it all, but he knew that he had a responsibility if she went down - command of the away team would fall to him. Which it seemed like was happening. "Take care of her, Kintiss," he said, unnecessarily, of course...but it still felt the thing to say. "Take me to where you saw him last, T'Lara."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Letting out a growl of frustration, Archangel tried not to direct it at the medic standing over her.  She disliked telepathy at the best of times, the concept of someone else being able to get into her head, into a space that she so carefully guarded and kept secret being one that she disliked intensely.

"I'm not telepathic, Kintiss," she growled.  "I don't have that ability!  I've never shown any signs of it, so how could they be trying to contact me?"

[Planetside]

"I'm not sssaying you are," Kintiss replied as he reviewed the readings again, "but sssomething on thisss planet isss, and Vulcanoidsss are normally highly sssensssitive to telepathy."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Take care of her, Kintiss," he said, unnecessarily, of course...but it still felt the thing to say.

"That'ssss what I'm here for, sssir," he replied. This didn't make sense. If something wanted to communicate with them through thought, why wasn't it trying to contact anyone outside of the Vulcanoids?

[Planetside - Down in a Hole]

Gavin's ears rang as he struggled to find his bearings. He could still hear the tinkle sound of falling crystal pieces all around him. The cold light of the planet's skyline could be seen in the opening above him. Of course, everything else was as crystalline down here as it was up there. It sure as hell wasn't comfortable to fall on.

"Ugh," he said, feeling around him. The area he was in was worn smooth, like a cavity in the solid crystal. Gavin was glad that there weren't any jagged edges or stalagmites, or else he might have found himself impaled. Or worse. While there were no lights of any kind down here, there was still an ambient glow from the surface. It was a dull kind of light, and there were many shadows on the peripheral of his vision...of course, that vision was still swimming in his brain.

He tried to move, feeling a sharp pain in his hip. Gavin soon found out, though, that it was from the broken shards of his tricorder. Sitting up, he felt around for his phaser. "T'Lara? Anyone? Hellloooo..."