Mission - I need your help.

[Julia Rellek]

Hey there fellow Tempest-ites!

We have a hole for the next mission and I don't really have anything for us to do. I could always come up with something... But I thought Id check in with you guys to see if there was anything you were eager to do. I want us to have a bit of a calmer mission, maybe a science mission.

What are your thoughts?

[Solluk]

Mission Title: The Vault of Eternity

Synopsis: The Tempest is charting the Tromari Nebula when it comes upon an impossibility:  A cluster of black dwarf stars orbiting each other in a pattern that leaves a gap in their center.  Within that gap appears to be an alien facility on a barren planetoid.  This is a remarkable find because no black dwarf stars should exist- the galaxy is not old enough for a white dwarf to fully decay into a black dwarf.  Even if a Black Dwarf did exist, there is no way they could be naturally arranged into such a cluster.  Somehow, this cluster has been artificially created, and the technology to do so is beyond anything imaginable.  If the creators of that cluster also created the facility in its center, there could be technological secrets there that would advance the Federation by a thousand years or more.  Unfortunately, the cluster is becoming unstable and will soon collapse in on itself, creating a violent supernova and destroying the alien installation.  If the Tempest wants to learn anything, they will have to find some way to get people into the cluster and out again before it destroys itself.  However, what they find in the alien facility may not be what they expect...

Starting Point:The Tempest is charting the Tromari Nebula when it comes upon an impossibility:  A cluster of black dwarf stars orbiting each other in a pattern that leaves a gap in their center.  Within that gap appears to be an alien facility on a barren planetoid.

End Goal: The Tempest personnel return from their expedition with a new appreciation for what matters in life.

Story points that must be passed?:

I) The Tempest is charting the Tromari Nebula when it comes upon an impossibility:  A cluster of black dwarf stars orbiting each other in a pattern that leaves a gap in their center.

II) Science Officers are able to detect an alien facility in the center of the cluster.  They are also able to tell that the cluster is collapsing in on itself, and will completely collapse in a number of days.  At the rate of collapse, it is likely that this cluster has been in place for a Billion years or more.

III) Flight Control Officers will note that the cluster is an extreme navigation hazard, and it will be impossible for the ship to penetrate it safely... but a shuttle or runabout might do so.

IV) Engineers and Ops personnel may note that even so, the shuttle or runabout would have to be modified to survive the extreme gravitational turbulence of the cluster, with uprated power systems, engines, and/or shields.

V) The crew begins modifications of an appropriate vehicle to survive a trip into the cluster, excited about the technological discoveries that await them.

VI) An away team pilots the vehicle into the cluster with some difficulties that are ultimately overcome.  The center of the cluster is gravitationally null, and they can park near the alien facility safely.

VII) A robot defense mechanism attacks the away team.  The robot is dispatched with the help of their security contingent.

VIII) The away team is able to defeat a complex locking mechanism on the facility door and get inside, where they discover it is a vault of art, music, and poetry from a long-dead alien race.   A plaque in the vault declares that the aliens were in the midst of a war with a terrible foe, and decided to protect the things most precious to them.  Not their technological marvels, but rather the essence of their people:  The products of their creative endeavors.  These, they encased in this 'Eternal Vault', inaccessible to their enemies and designed to last a billion years.

IX) The away team is able to get away with a sample of these treasures, perhaps recording some info on tricorders and other devices, and escape just before the black dwarf cluster collapses into a supernova that destroys everything.  Their efforts have preserved the last traces of a long-dead people.

Departments: (To make sure everyone has something to do.)

- Flight: The Flight officers will recognize the hazards of navigating the cluster, and will ultimately fly a craft inside.

- Engineering: The Engineering team will work with Ops to upgrade a craft to survive the cluster, and may help to get into the alien facility later.

- Operations: The Operations team will work with Engineering to upgrade a craft to survive the cluster, will probably perform crucial power transfers on the way in, and may help to get into the alien facility later.

- Science: The Science team will reveal much about the nature of the cluster upon discovering it, and will probably have many observations to make about the alien facility.

- Security/Tactical: Security officers will encounter and defeat a defense robot guarding the alien facility.

- Medical:  The ride into the cluster will be dangerous, as will the ride to escape it.  Injuries will doubtless occur as folks are jostled about and panels explode due to overloads, not to mention the battle with the defense robot.

NOTE:  This is a largely peaceful mission of discovery, a straightforward scientific problem solving exercise and Tomb Raid in the spirit of Trek.  In the end, the crew is able to preserve part of the 'soul' of an ancient, dead race.

[Solluk]

Mission Title: The Citadel of Never

Synopsis: In this sequel to the Vault of Eternity, the Tempest has left the nebula they were charting to avoid the energy wave generated by the supernova.  As they do so, sensors detect a distortion in spacetime.  Closer examination reveals the distortion is the entry point to a pocket dimension.  Probes sent into the opening reveal a massive space station within, resting in an extra-dimensional space.  The station matches paintings from the Vault of Eternity that depict a space station belonging to the enemy race that was at war with them.  The station seems dormant, and if an away team is sent to the station, they will discover aliens aboard in a state of prolonged hibernation.   A computer on the station can be accessed with some difficulty, confirming this is a military citadel belonging to an aggressive alien race that feeds on the life energy of those they kill.  They placed themselves in hibernation once they had committed mass genocide in this portion of the galaxy a billion years ago.  But soon the computer will wake them from their hibernation, and they will be free to once again ravage the galaxy.  Will the Tempest prevent their awakening, or allow them to awaken and risk a war with these advanced and dangerous people?

Starting Point: Escaping a supernova, the Tempest finds an extra-dimensional pocket containing a huge military installation of a potentially aggressive alien species.

End Goal: The Tempest must decide whether to interfere with this race's exit from hibernation, or to allow their awakening and risk a future encounter with a dangerous alien empire.

Story points that must be passed?:

I) The Tempest notices an extra-dimensional anomaly, and decides to investigate.

II) Probes reveal an extra-dimensional space that contains a massive alien space station which appears to be dormant.

III) Away teams discover millions of aliens in hibernation, kept there by a sophisticated alien computer system.

IV) The computer confirms that this is an aggressive alien species that feeds off the life energy of their victims, and that the computer will be awakening them soon after a billion years of hibernation.  (Soon can be days, weeks, months, or years depending on the desires of the Captain.  Either way it's bad news.)

V) The away team must decide whether to interfere with the hibernation cycle to prevent the aliens from awakening, or to cause the deaths of the aliens, or to leave it alone and hope that the aliens will be good neighbors when they wake up.  This is a moral dilemma, because the Prime Directive suggests these aliens should not be interfered with.  But on the other hand, it is strongly suspected that they will become marauding mass-murderers when they awaken.  This could be the only chance to prevent a new war with a sophisticated alien empire.

Departments: (To make sure everyone has something to do.)

- Flight: The Flight officers will most likely either fly the ship into the extra-dimensional pocket or fly a shuttle with away team members into it.

- Engineering: Engineers should be on the away team to study the sophisticated alien station and gain insight into their hibernation equipment

- Operations: Operations personnel will be useful in case the Captain or away team decides to shut off the alien life support functions or otherwise interfere with the hibernation cycle.

- Science: The Science team will discover the extra-dimensional pocket and learn a great deal about the aliens by accessing the alien computer.

- Security/Tactical: Security will be with the away team 'just in case.'  If a fight is desired, the alien space station can have some manner of defense system that must be combatted.  Tactical officers can also provide appraisals of the alien offensive and defensive capabilities.

- Medical:  The Medical personnel may study the hibernating aliens to better understand their capabilities and methods of feeding off life energy.

NOTE:  This mission is designed as a sequel to Vault of Eternity.  It is ultimately a moral dilemma mission.  These aliens represent a possible future Hitler.   Do you kill them to prevent future problems, even though that is unethical?  Or do you let them live and wake up someday, knowing they are likely to become an evil empire that will threaten your existence?

EXTRA:  If the aliens are left alone and allowed to live and wake up on schedule, this race could become a future antagonist for a season-long story arc.

[Jada]

I don't have any specific requests or ideas, but I've always wanted to try some classic Trek weirdness: a strange new world with a mystery, a trip back in time, a funky space anomaly, tricks by god-like aliens.

[Julia Rellek]

Thank you Sullock for sharing your mission ideas with us! I love these!!!!!! You write one heck of a mission. :-)

Jada - Sounds like it could be fun. I like the idea of doing a TOS style mystery mission. Anyone else have any thoughts?