Season 1, Mission 04: Lurking Beneath

[ThomasRiker]

Reece listened in.

That could work.

Actually Mr Krol, we do. Encrypt the transmission and send it on a narrow band frequency.

He got up from the Chair. However, I don't want to slow this convoy down. I have a type 2 sensor probe ready. We'll send you the results as we receive them. If that doesn't work, we'll do it your way.

"Launch the probe." Reece said.

---"Intrepids can't pull a Crazy Ivan. So they'd see us turn. We need to remove that advantage...."--- He thought to himself.

Tobias smiled to himself at the prospect of the ship flipping around like that. He has read the technical specs for the ship, so he knows it would be capable, but he has never actually seen it. "Sensor Probe launched" He said routing the results to go to Lt. Thompson and Engineering, though he was secretly hoping that it wouldn't work and that the ship would be forced to flip. He knew he shouldn't have but as it wouldn't affect the probe sensors at all, but he added a directional camera onto the probe focused on the Churchill. If they flipped, it would be a spectacle. It would also add an angle that they could use for analysis if something proved to be out of place... so it was not all for fun.

"Probe is functioning properly and sending data stream, Your chair should display the reading Sir." He announced so that Lt. Reece would know he can view it.

[Kale Bridges]

Tobias smiled to himself at the prospect of the ship flipping around like that. He has read the technical specs for the ship, so he knows it would be capable, but he has never actually seen it. "Sensor Probe launched" He said routing the results to go to Lt. Thompson and Engineering, though he was secretly hoping that it wouldn't work and that the ship would be forced to flip. He knew he shouldn't have but as it wouldn't affect the probe sensors at all, but he added a directional camera onto the probe focused on the Churchill. If they flipped, it would be a spectacle. It would also add an angle that they could use for analysis if something proved to be out of place... so it was not all for fun.

"Probe is functioning properly and sending data stream, Your chair should display the reading Sir." He announced so that Lt. Reece would know he can view it.

Reece checked the console. The probe wasn't in range of the... whatever... yet.
Still, there was always the lingering thought in Reece's head that it was nothing and this was just a waste of a good probe.

"Mr Cadenza. Continue on current course and speed for the time being. Stand by to change course, 180 by 000, wait for my order."

He continued to stare at the console, it would take about 3 minutes for the probe's sensors to be effective.

Krol, Mirwald. Are you receiving the probe's telemetry?

[Lance Krol]

Reece checked the console. The probe wasn't in range of the... whatever... yet.
Still, there was always the lingering thought in Reece's head that it was nothing and this was just a waste of a good probe.

"Mr Cadenza. Continue on current course and speed for the time being. Stand by to change course, 180 by 000, wait for my order."

He continued to stare at the console, it would take about 3 minutes for the probe's sensors to be effective.

Krol, Mirwald. Are you receiving the probe's telemetry?

Krol stared at his console and tapped his badge.

=/\=Krol to Thompson=/\=

We're receiving the standard reports, sir. Boot ups, things like that. When we find anything we'll let you know.

=/\=Krol Out=/\=

[Kale Bridges]

Krol stared at his console and tapped his badge.

=/\=Krol to Thompson=/\=

We're receiving the standard reports, sir. Boot ups, things like that. When we find anything we'll let you know.

=/\=Krol Out=/\=

Reece stared at the console for three minutes and eventually the probe's sensors entered range of the... thing.

The steady form of a ship appeared.

"Bring the ship to yellow alert!" Reece said.

Thompson to Cortez. We're being tailed sir. We're gunna need you on the bridge.

Reece turned to Masters, "Tell the convoy to change position. Taras, bring us to the back of the Column."

[cortez]

Reece stared at the console for three minutes and eventually the probe's sensors entered range of the... thing.

The steady form of a ship appeared.

"Bring the ship to yellow alert!" Reece said.

Thompson to Cortez. We're being tailed sir. We're gunna need you on the bridge.

Reece turned to Masters, "Tell the convoy to change position. Taras, bring us to the back of the Column."

Upon hearing the request for his presence, Cortez quickly got up and headed for the bridge.

"Report"  he said, assuming a stance in the center of the floor.

[Kale Bridges]

Upon hearing the request for his presence, Cortez quickly got up and headed for the bridge.

"Report"  he said, assuming a stance in the center of the floor.

Reece got up out of the chair and stood beside Cortez.

"The sensor glitch we've been having is a ship that's been tailing us. No doubt they know we've discovered them with our probe."

Reece paused for a minute.

"Should we open a hailing frequency?"

[Taras Cadenza]

Reece stared at the console for three minutes and eventually the probe's sensors entered range of the... thing.

The steady form of a ship appeared.

"Bring the ship to yellow alert!" Reece said.

Thompson to Cortez. We're being tailed sir. We're gunna need you on the bridge.

Reece turned to Masters, "Tell the convoy to change position. Taras, bring us to the back of the Column."

The hidden ship emerged itself onto the sensor screen of the helm. Taras' eyebrows narrowed as his thought was confirmed.

A hidden ship. No doubt spying on them.

"Aye, sir." replied Taras to his commander's order. He shifted the position of the Federation vessel to comply, but he couldn't shake he feeling of nagging dread.  A feeling that this ship meant trouble.

And lots of it.

[cortez]

Reece got up out of the chair and stood beside Cortez.

"The sensor glitch we've been having is a ship that's been tailing us. No doubt they know we've discovered them with our probe."

Reece paused for a minute.

"Should we open a hailing frequency?"

Cortez studied the view screen that was now highlighting the hidden vessel in the Churchill's aft quarter. After taking a momentary deep breath, he then headed across to the tactical station and, leaning slightly across the console, spoke softly to the ship's latest addition.

"Any sign they know we've detected them, Ensign?"  he asked

[ThomasRiker]

Cortez studied the view screen that was now highlighting the hidden vessel in the Churchill's aft quarter. After taking a momentary deep breath, he then headed across to the tactical station and, leaning slightly across the console, spoke softly to the ship's latest addition.

"Is there any sign they've detected us, Ensign?"

I would wager to guess that they have. We have sent out extra transmissions and a probe to their location. Should you want them to think that we haven't I would advise that we accidentally allow the probes camera feed to broadcast on non secure channels and do something out of the ordinary with the ship, Lt. Krol may come up with an idea for that... It MAY throw them off by making them believe we are preforming some sort of test that we need to watch from outside, though I don't know if they would believe it.

As Tobias told the Captain this information he began calling up the sub routines to raise shields and power weapons, though he was not fool enough to actually raise them without the order... Just standby.

[cortez]

I would wager to guess that they have. We have sent out extra transmissions and a probe to their location. Should you want them to think that we haven't I would advise that we accidentally allow the probes camera feed to broadcast on non secure channels and do something out of the ordinary with the ship, Lt. Krol may come up with an idea for that... It MAY throw them off by making them believe we are preforming some sort of test that we need to watch from outside, though I don't know if they would believe it.

As Tobias told the Captain this information he began calling up the sub routines to raise shields and power weapons, though he was not fool enough to actually raise them without the order... Just standby.

Cortez, rubbing his chin in thought, turned to face the rest of the bridge crew. It must have been obvious that the cogs of his brain were turning at twice the normal speed. A few moments later, he had come to a decision.

"They haven't done anything yet, so they may not know we're on to them."  he replied to Masters, "Have the probe examine some astronomical objects in this region and report back using an unsecure channel. Then recall it but be ready to raise shields and weapons."

Nodding, Cortez then headed down to the lower level of the bridge, where he sat in his chair alongside Thompson.

"Lieutenant Cadenza, prepare to drop to impulse and vent drive plasma directly in our wake"  he ordered, turning to his first officer.  "Perhaps we can give them a surprise of our own?"

[ThomasRiker]

Cortez, rubbing his chin in thought, turned to face the rest of the bridge crew. It must have been obvious that the cogs of his brain were turning at twice the normal speed. A few moments later, he had come to a decision.

"They haven't done anything yet, so they may not know we're on to them."  he replied to Masters, "Have the probe examine some astronomical objects in this region and report back using an unsecure channel. Then recall it but be ready to raise shields and weapons."

Nodding, Cortez then headed down to the lower level of the bridge, where he sat in his chair alongside Thompson.

"Lieutenant Cadenza, prepare to drop to impulse and vent drive plasma directly in our wake"  he ordered, turning to his first officer.  "Perhaps we can give them a surprise of our own?"

"Aye Sir" Tobias responded. Searching, he found a small dust cloud in which the dust had some sort of polarization and a small glow to it. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best he could come up with to scan. He began moderately reconfiguring the probe's assignment and down graded the security level of it so that from that point it would cease encrypting the data feed. He set the probe to return to the ship in a couple of minutes, after it finished "gathering readings".

[Taras Cadenza]

Cortez, rubbing his chin in thought, turned to face the rest of the bridge crew. It must have been obvious that the cogs of his brain were turning at twice the normal speed. A few moments later, he had come to a decision.

"They haven't done anything yet, so they may not know we're on to them."  he replied to Masters, "Have the probe examine some astronomical objects in this region and report back using an unsecure channel. Then recall it but be ready to raise shields and weapons."

Nodding, Cortez then headed down to the lower level of the bridge, where he sat in his chair alongside Thompson.

"Lieutenant Cadenza, prepare to drop to impulse and vent drive plasma directly in our wake"  he ordered, turning to his first officer.  "Perhaps we can give them a surprise of our own?"

"...Aye, sir." replied Taras, surprised by his commander's order. It was slightly risky. If the spying ship didn't come out of warp, the plasma would rip their ship apart. Still, if all went to plan, this would be a rather excellent surprise.

A dozen seconds later, Taras clasped his hands together. The adrenaline of the situation was gradually starting to trickle through him. A faint smile emerged onto his face. "Ready at your command, sir." 

[OctalLord]

Octavius looked up from the console as he the tubes around him began to hum. "Krol... I think they've made a decision without us. Should the tubes be making that noise while we're in warp?" He looked to a nearby glass vent as a wash of blue-purple plasma flowed past.

"I think they're giving our tail some agressive action." He said, glancing at the engines he saw the turbines begin to slow down. Feeling the vibration under his feet the ship slowed out of warp. "Well that answers one question." He looked at Krol. "I think it's your jurisdiction but I'd be happy if one of us made the call to the bridge to find out what's up."

[cortez]

"...Aye, sir." replied Taras, surprised by his commander's order. It was slightly risky. If the spying ship didn't come out of warp, the plasma would rip their ship apart. Still, if all went to plan, this would be a rather excellent surprise.

A dozen seconds later, Taras clasped his hands together. The adrenaline of the situation was gradually starting to trickle through him. A faint smile emerged onto his face. "Ready at your command, sir."

"Excellent"  Cortez muttered to himself, before leaning forward in anticipation.   "Now! Drop to impulse!"

[Lance Krol]

Octavius looked up from the console as he the tubes around him began to hum. "Krol... I think they've made a decision without us. Should the tubes be making that noise while we're in warp?" He looked to a nearby glass vent as a wash of blue-purple plasma flowed past.

"I think they're giving our tail some agressive action." He said, glancing at the engines he saw the turbines begin to slow down. Feeling the vibration under his feet the ship slowed out of warp. "Well that answers one question." He looked at Krol. "I think it's your jurisdiction but I'd be happy if one of us made the call to the bridge to find out what's up."

Krol looked at Octavius, the same thing having occurred to him, a grim expression on his face. "I'll call as soon as I've made sure we're good in the event of a fight," he assured Octavius.

=/\=Krol to Bridge=/\=

We're getting decreased power output and engine usage, is there something going on up there?
=/\=Krol Over=/\=