Season 11: Episode 5: Bringing Home the Lost

[Jane D Angelo]

[Bridge Team]

"Well... that's the problem," Kali shrugged helplessly. "Names, manifestos, even flight patterns - the entire code's degraded by a couple of hex symbols. Sickbay might have better luck with the medical files - they usually do. The rest? Hoo boy. I'll have to grab the 2344 ops codes to cross-ref and restore the files back on the Discovery. Believe me, it's not as streamlined a process as today."

She started to thoughtfully tap at one of the tricorders. Those too would have to come with her for evidence and scan. "Now 50 year old storage code locks? Kindergarten stuff. I can have the cargo bay unsealed in two minutes with the Cap's permission." But seriously. Space zombies. She wasn't as keen to open it, thanks.

SS Hargreaves - Bridge

Jane's eyebrow went up even higher, if that was possible.

"Space zombies?" She replied, wondering if the Ops Chief had been reading too many space stories. "But you're right. We need to be ready just in case there is something unexpected in there. And certainly not before I've had a chance to do a sweep." She added with a smile.

[Tekin Nevir]

[Captain's Cabin - USS Hargraves]

It was difficult for him to get through the security firewalls that the Captain had placed.  But the ship had 50 year old technology, and Nevir had the know how and the equipment to break through the walls faster than they could be rebuilt.  Before long, Nevir was able to overcome the command systems, and there in plain view was the logs.

There were a lot of corrupted files, and plenty of the logs were missing.. including the initial logs of the ship's departure.  However, there was a major disturbing thing Nevir saw.  A lot of seemingly mundane files were restricted access... all to the Captain.  Nevir looked for the date that the vessel went missing, and accessed the first log.

Captain's Log:

I know its a bit off the path, but Roger's numbers seem to cut our travel time down by 30%.  Its tempting, too tempting, so I've had my XO verify the work.  Chief Williams is all for it, he said the gravitational readings alone would reduce the engine demand.  Less deuterium lost is always better.

Our Helmsman is really the only person who disagrees, but T'Laro has always been a coward in my opinion.  You'd think that Vulcan mind of his would embrace the logic of conservation, but no... he protests about unknown anomalies.  We will make a decision tomorrow... either we turn or press on.

3 Days Later:

Its been a rough ride so far, so the time we've been making is beautiful.  The deflector had to have power rerouted to compensate for the increase in speed and shear, but otherwise we've been able to estimate that our journey is going to be reduced by about a week.  T'Laro is still giving grief about it, but at least the idea of uncharted space is enough to perk that curiosity of his.  Its unusual, some of the rarest anomalies that the Federation has listed are here.  There seemed to be a fast moving nebula cloud that will be crossing our path.  Not much room to maneuver, but I'm hoping that it will pass before we do.  We'll know in a day or so.

Part of me doesn't want to report this new path.  A trade secret that will put me on the top for transports.  Hell, I may even be able to refit the Hargraves.  Get myself a top of the line engine and I can cut my time by more than half.  I know that medical facilities would love that. 

One week later:

Captain's Log

This might have been a mistake.  I don't know what was in those nebulas, but our shields did nothing.  We have 2 men in Sickbay right now.  Dr. Relix doesn't know what is wrong.  It just seems that .

Ryan's been acting weird, too.  I'm starting to wonder if this is his doing.  I should have made the decision.  Not given it to him.  I gave him the means to unsurp me.

One week later:

We're down to half crew.  T'Laro's dead.  Last calculations saw us clearing this area in 20 hours.  I swear there is something following us.  Ryan says there is nothing out there.  But he got us into this mess.  Probably working with whoever is out there.  Slowly killing my crew.  He's threatening to relieve me... ME!  He's the bastard who got us here! 

18 hours later:

Supplimental - I knew it!  I knew it!  I saw them, I swear I did.  Ryan is an agent for them.  They are the cause of this .  I can't lock him away, I need something to help me with this ship.  The doctor is dead.  Its just a couple of us now... but I've secured the systems.  If I die, then he'll get nothing, the computer is set to scramble... and I doubt he'll be able to unlock it.  I think I'll have him detained when we get there.  He better keep me alive, or else he'll be stuck on a dying ship!

[Kali Reyes]

SS Hargreaves - Bridge

Jane's eyebrow went up even higher, if that was possible.

"Space zombies?" She replied, wondering if the Ops Chief had been reading too many space stories. "But you're right. We need to be ready just in case there is something unexpected in there. And certainly not before I've had a chance to do a sweep." She added with a smile.

[Bridge Team]

Kali swiveled her head around in panic. "Where?!" When she realized it was a false alarm, she mock-glared at her. The console beeped again, this time with extra info on the ship's specs. She reached over the screen and flipped through it.

"Well in case anyone thought we were imagining things, life support is up in all decks save for a few non-essentials. Gravity, yeah. All water and sonic facilities have been long shut down. Replicators' cold. So I don't know what to tell you about survivors other than - if there are, they're extremely old, smell disgusting, and probably already ate each other for sustenance."

So maybe not space zombies. Space cannibals on the other hand...

[Jane D Angelo]

[Bridge Team]

Kali swiveled her head around in panic. "Where?!" When she realized it was a false alarm, she mock-glared at her. The console beeped again, this time with extra info on the ship's specs. She reached over the screen and flipped through it.

"Well in case anyone thought we were imagining things, life support is up in all decks save for a few non-essentials. Gravity, yeah. All water and sonic facilities have been long shut down. Replicators' cold. So I don't know what to tell you about survivors other than - if there are, they're extremely old, smell disgusting, and probably already ate each other for sustenance."

So maybe not space zombies. Space cannibals on the other hand...

SS Hargreaves - Bridge

Jane rolled her eyes at Reyes' comments. Making a note to have a word about overactive imaginations with the Captain.

"I doubt that whatever is in there is a, still alive or b, hungry for humanoid flesh. That doesn't mean we take no precautions, we just need to be realistic about what we might find." Jane shook her head in disbelief.

[Kali Reyes]

SS Hargreaves - Bridge

Jane rolled her eyes at Reyes' comments. Making a note to have a word about overactive imaginations with the Captain.

"I doubt that whatever is in there is a, still alive or b, hungry for humanoid flesh. That doesn't mean we take no precautions, we just need to be realistic about what we might find." Jane shook her head in disbelief.

[Bridge Team]

Kali shook her unlit flashlight at her. "Point taken, but I mean, it's not impossible," she said seriously before going back to work on the helm controls. "Space zombies? Could happen. Cannibals? For sure. Once met a human back on Risa who only ate Bolian flesh. He called himself the Azure Monk. Noped out of that conversation real quick."

[Tekin Nevir]

[Bridge - USS Hargraves]

Nevir sighed as he stepped out of the Cabin and back onto the main bridge.  He had been overhearing the conversation, but only because the logs he looked over were... disturbing.

"The closest you'll get to space zombies is the Borg.  And cannibals have always been around since the dawn of the galaxy... every planet." he said, taking a couple of steps down towards the Captain's chair.

"Chief, have you been encountering a lot of corrupted or wiped data, or unusual lock outs?" he said, tapping on the back of the chair.  He waited for an answer from her before tapping his badge.

"Tekin to Briggs, Captain I was able to access the Captain's Logs... I know why she disappeared, but that's only opened other questions.  It looks like the crew perished, but there are no bodies... at least, nothing here."

[Kali Reyes]

[Bridge - USS Hargraves]

Nevir sighed as he stepped out of the Cabin and back onto the main bridge.  He had been overhearing the conversation, but only because the logs he looked over were... disturbing.

"The closest you'll get to space zombies is the Borg.  And cannibals have always been around since the dawn of the galaxy... every planet." he said, taking a couple of steps down towards the Captain's chair.

"Chief, have you been encountering a lot of corrupted or wiped data, or unusual lock outs?" he said, tapping on the back of the chair.  He waited for an answer from her before tapping his badge.

[Bridge Team]

"Pretty much 70% corrupted, 20% wiped, and the last ten salvageable, yeah," Kali replied and turned back around to watch her tool work its magic. "Just running ship diagnostic while I grab all the files I can get. With a little tender loving by your science buffs we can tip the percentages in our favor."

"Tekin to Briggs, Captain I was able to access the Captain's Logs... I know why she disappeared, but that's only opened other questions.  It looks like the crew perished, but there are no bodies... at least, nothing here."

Kali froze, glanced at D'Angelo, then back at her numbers before locking eyes with her Second Officer. "There's um... the cargo bay. It's unaccounted for and it weighs way less than a fully outfitted crate of photon torpedoes." Her hesitance spoke for her fears.

[Leela Kaz]

Kyle watched and could fell the sadness of his CEO. "I'm sorry I dredged that up, Lella." he offered. "You shouldn't have had to relive it." He was brought back to the moment by another voice.

[Engineering]

"No it's okay." She said as she stood up. "You learn to live with it. You have to learn to live with it." She paused and her eyes shifted towards the captain and forced a slight crooked smile. "I'll be alright, what do you say we get this show on the road? I think it's probably best to secure the environmental systems first, make sure we're not going to run out of air..." Leela reached in her toolkit and tossed an unusual looking tool towards Briggs. "Your hammer, captain, as promised. It's old technology but you'll find it's the best way to gain access to that panel." Leela pointed across the engine room. "Life support is controlled form over there. Why don't you guys see if you can gain access to that console. Engineers often re-routed secondary systems through life support... You might have to disable food replicators to ensure proper operation on environmental systems." She let out a slight chuckle... Welcome to antiquated technology, don't ask me why it works but it does; and back then you didn't question it if it worked. I'm going to take a peek at the engines. I want to see what it'll take to get this baby out on her own power." She said as she moved towards the dylithium storage holds.

[Kyan Mackenzie]

Kali froze, glanced at D'Angelo, then back at her numbers before locking eyes with her Second Officer. "There's um... the cargo bay. It's unaccounted for and it weighs way less than a fully outfitted crate of photon torpedoes." Her hesitance spoke for her fears.

Kyan had been tinkering with the auxiliary circuits the past several minutes and as such, had wormed his way into the crawlspace beneath the deck plating. He'd re-emerged, dust and grease matting his crimson mop and face, just in time to hear the others talking about the cargo bay and what horrors may or may not lay within.

Sounded like a perfectly good adventure to his ears.

"If it's mystery and intrigue that wait for us down there, I'd say we not keep them waiting the now right?" he shook his hair to get the dust out and hopped up onto the deck. "Shall we go and see what's down there?"

[Klabax Cottle]

[Sickbay]

Klabax heard a crash and walked out into the sickbay. One of the security officers had dropped a test vial. He sighed as a noxious smell filled the air from the vial as the security officer looked on in horror. He began stammering and panicking, something about "Poison or toxins". Klabax strode over. "Shut up and sit down." he said, taking out his medical tricorder and scanning first the man and then the substance. "There's nothing toxic, don't worry." he said. "Just avoid it." he muttered walking off again. He downloaded the medical logs to the ship, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He sat down and watched, seeing the security haggle to finish cleaning as he looked on with slight bemusement.

[Kyle Briggs]

[Engineering]

"No it's okay. You learn to live with it. You have to learn to live with it. I'll be alright, what do you say we get this show on the road? I think it's probably best to secure the environmental systems first, make sure we're not going to run out of air...Your hammer, captain, as promised. It's old technology but you'll find it's the best way to gain access to that panel. Life support is controlled form over there. Why don't you guys see if you can gain access to that console. Engineers often re-routed secondary systems through life support... You might have to disable food replicators to ensure proper operation on environmental systems. I'm going to take a peek at the engines. I want to see what it'll take to get this baby out on her own power." She said as she moved towards the dylithium storage holds.

Kyle couldn't help put laugh when Kaz offered him the hammer. "You know best." he said as he took the tool and headed for the panel she had indicated. It felt good to be back in an engine room. Even one as old as this one. The access panel was removed in no time and they had environmental controls. Kyle stood and brushed the dust off of his knes just as Tekin contacted him.

"Tekin to Briggs, Captain I was able to access the Captain's Logs... I know why she disappeared, but that's only opened other questions.  It looks like the crew perished, but there are no bodies... at least, nothing here."

=^=Understood. If you've think you've learned everything you can from the Bridge and logs, feel free to move along to other areas. Just stay alert and in contact.=^=

After closing the connection, he turned back to see Kaz working at a console. "Finding anything helpful?" he asked.

[Tekin Nevir]

=^=Understood. If you've think you've learned everything you can from the Bridge and logs, feel free to move along to other areas. Just stay alert and in contact.=^=

After closing the connection, he turned back to see Kaz working at a console. "Finding anything helpful?" he asked.

"Understood, Tekin out." he said, turning towards the others, specifically Kyan.

Kyan had been tinkering with the auxiliary circuits the past several minutes and as such, had wormed his way into the crawlspace beneath the deck plating. He'd re-emerged, dust and grease matting his crimson mop and face, just in time to hear the others talking about the cargo bay and what horrors may or may not lay within.

Sounded like a perfectly good adventure to his ears.

"If it's mystery and intrigue that wait for us down there, I'd say we not keep them waiting the now right?" he shook his hair to get the dust out and hopped up onto the deck. "Shall we go and see what's down there?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious.  Alright, Reyes, D'Angelo, if you are done up here, let's find this cargo bay.  Mackenzie, be ready for anything.  Ready?"

[Jane D Angelo]

"Understood, Tekin out." he said, turning towards the others, specifically Kyan.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious.  Alright, Reyes, D'Angelo, if you are done up here, let's find this cargo bay.  Mackenzie, be ready for anything.  Ready?"

Bridge - SS Hargreaves

Jane nodded at Tekin's words.

"I'm done here Commander. The Cargo bay entrance is down two levels and at the far end. There is no turbolift, so we'll have to hoof it." She added with a grin, looking at the map.

[Klabax Cottle]

[Sickbay]

Klabax finished everything he was doing, and decided to check in. He needed something else to do, besides berate incompetent security officers and admire antiquated and useless tech. He called down to the Captain. His tone was, if at all possible, even more done with this all than last time.

Klabax to Captain. he said. Sickbay cleared, nothing out of the ordinary. Moving to Bridge=/\= he said. It wasn't a question, or a response to an order, but a statement of he was doing it, and he didn't care what others thought. He strode out of the room and went to the turbolift, taking his way toward the bridge.

[Leela Kaz]

[Engineering]

Kyle couldn't help put laugh when Kaz offered him the hammer. "You know best." he said as he took the tool and headed for the panel she had indicated. It felt good to be back in an engine room. Even one as old as this one. The access panel was removed in no time and they had environmental controls. Kyle stood and brushed the dust off of his knes just as Tekin contacted him.

=^=Understood. If you've think you've learned everything you can from the Bridge and logs, feel free to move along to other areas. Just stay alert and in contact.=^=

After closing the connection, he turned back to see Kaz working at a console. "Finding anything helpful?" he asked.

As Leela approached the dylithium storage tanks and opened them. A small amount of dust shifted as she opened the the tank. "Hmmm" She stood on the tips of her toes to get a better view. "There dylitium in the tank... I don't see any reason we couldn't light her up. I could probably get her going on her own poer with a small power transfer from the Discovery."