Decker's scans quickly revealed no signs of life in the shuttle, or the bay itself.  The shuttle was completely powered down... fusion core deactivated, batteries dead.  However, he was detecting power readings off the scale coming from deeper within the base.

So that means ... shuttle no go?

As his team began making their scans, and preparing for this imminent task, ch'Pertha led the way into the artificial planetoid's shuttle bay.
"I want Mcreeg on that shuttle.  Even if its out of juice, we need to examine it.  If there is any way to get it going, please get started on that.

T'Lara, Decker and Javker, please work on getting those doors open".  He was surprised that there was an oxygen atmosphere within this bay: while they hadn't detected any means at the threshold for maintaining it from the vacuum outside.

"Preston, class 7 wide sweep, recording everything"

Decker smiled wryly at McReeg and nodded in the direction of the old shuttle, "Good luck, Lieutenant. That thing is totally inert."

He then headed towards the doors that the XO had indicated and prepped his tricorder to translate whatever visible markings were on the controls.

Removing the helmet of the environmental suit was tempting, once they determined the air was breathable.  She wasn't too sure about the radiation though, or artificial gravity.  Best to wait until they completed their scans.
In the meantime there was a more pressing concern; opening the shuttle-bay doors.

Jav'Ker visually scanned for control panel or access hatch without success.

Mcreeg headed over to the shuttle, his usual youthful determination showing as he wrapped his head around how to get the old girl started again.

Meanwhile, Jav'Ker, T'Lara and Decker found that - between the three of them, and the translation efforts they'd already begun - the inner doors were easy enough to open.  Beyond them was a small chamber... with another set of doors.  An airlock?

The big shuttle bay doors remained opened, with a heavy cast-rhodinium wrench braced nearby in case they tried to close.  But the air remained inside, held by what Decker calculated to be advanced gravity field generators.

Preston nodded, drew a tricorder from his belt, and headed off to scan and document the entire bay.

Decker paused and scratched his chin as the inner door was revealed, "Perhaps we should take this in stages. Have one person move ahead to open the next passage and then come back if they can. If they don't return promptly, the others can follow to try and open the way back for them so we don't all become trapped. That may be what happened to the last team."

He paused again and glanced between T'Lara and Jav'Ker, "I, uh, suppose it makes as much sense for me to go in first as anyone. Unless one of you would prefer to."

"I agree," replied ch'Pertha to Decker, "but not with out chief Scientist on point".

Turning to summon Preston over, ch'Pertha ran him down on the plan, "If you get locked in, just hold.  We'll be working to get you out".

With that, Preston was sent 'one stepping stone ahead'.

Since he was still not a speaking part, Preston nodded, and moved to position, taking the lead.  He had his tricorder out, but now... drew his phaser as well.  Looking in his own mind like a 20th century commando, he advanced...

T'Lara nodded silently.  She was actually quite eager to get on with it, but the Commander was right; the other away team was gone and they had no way to know what happened to them.  They don't want to find themselves in the same predicament.

Mcreeg had disappeared inside the old shuttle.  From within, sparks and banging could be heard.

The inner doors hissed open.  Still in his EV suit, phaser drawn, Preston ducked his head in, looking both ways before ducking back out.

Then, unlimbering his tricorder, satisfied their were no immediate hostiles, he advanced into the corridor beyond...

"LT Nipay, checking in," came the voice of the ship's COMMS officer over the line.  "Still have a good comm lock on you.  Independence is inbound on Chaktir.  Subspace and gravitic distortions from the hypermass and the artifact are making comms difficult," she said.

To anyone within ear shot, it would sound like singing, but for Mcreeg, it was a form of swearing without swearing, learned from a roving band of artisans back home, everything he tried seeming to mock him, every wire he crossed, every junction he re-routed seeming to go out of it's way to not work, and suddenly he takes a different approach, truly singing to the shuttle and to himself, trying to change the energies, to reach a new harmony between the craft and himself, his tools and scanners as caressing fingers..

what do I need to roll to get something good to happen :)
This message was last edited by the player at 09:43, Mon 03 Aug 2020.

In reply to LT JG Xanatos Mcreeg (msg # 88):

Mcreeg can make a Daring + Conn check to hotwire the shuttle using his phaser as a power source.  His focus in phasers will apply.  Difficulty is 4.  He can buy 1 extra die (+1 Momentum) or 2 extra dice (+3 Momentum total). 

He feels it in his bones in spite of all that he's doing, all that he's trying, that growing frustration that makes him close down, and so he takes a moment, closing his eyes, controlling his breathing, making the decision to go back to square one, Which for Mcreeg is taking stock of what he has, what is there, what he can use, his eyes darting over his equipment, then to himself, and he forces himself not to smack his forehead with his palm, even laughing to himself..

"It can't be that simple, can it?"

Mcreeg's words whispered to himself and he pulls his phaser free, looking at it for a moment, analyzing it, picturing things in his mind until they take the right shape, then getting back to work, pulling new wires free and adjusting them, trimming and clipping, working the phaser as well, baring what he thinks he needs, this time working silently, all his focus on what he's doing..

03:05, Today: LT JG Xanatos Mcreeg rolled 29 using 4d20 with rolls of 9,6,3,11.  daring (11) +conn (4) phasers focus, diff is 4 with 2 extra dice (+3 momentum total).   I think I did it right :)
This message was last edited by the player at 10:06, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

ch'Pertha's voice came over the comms, "Mcreeg, we're ready to intrude beyond the loading bay.
How goes your task?  If your about done, and feel we can launch the shuttle, we will wait for you.
If you feel its going to take much longer, then we abandon that part of my plan, and you join us now".

Decker nodded silently to the XO, doing his best to mask his relief. He activated his tricorder and locked it on to the sacrifical redshirt Preston as he moved into the next corridor.

Jab'Ker followed his companions. Marvelling at the engineering. Almost immediately bringing thoughts of home and a pang of homesickness

Mccreeg's gambit to drain his phaser to jumpstart the shuttle pays off.  The lights inside the craft flicker, she turns over like an old Edsall, growling and cranking, but finally powers up, her own capacitor taking hold now it had just the tiniest charge.  The old Type-F shuttle came to life.

(OOC: Success, and 1 Momentum back to the pool!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:55, Thu 06 Aug 2020.

Taking the lead, Preston advanced into the corridors beyond.

The interior of the station seems to be designed for humanoid beings to operate. The hallways can comfortably accommodate a being up to three meters tall and bears an oxygen atmosphere. Inside it is brightly lit, with white and gray walls.

Moving in the classic 'advance, cover, scan' pattern, Preston encountered no difficulties.

Yet.

He smiles, silently cheering her on, feeling like an expectant father in a way as she starts up, coming to life, finding herself, so proud of her, urging her on..

Mcreeg keys Comms, unable to keep the happiness and pride from his voice.."She's alive and ready to work, Sir"

ch'Pertha smiled broadly as the shuttle behind them woke from its long sleep.
"Awesome work, Mr Mcreeg.  You've earned yourself pole position for our next shore leave.

Mr Preston, you have a new duty, sir.  I want you in this shuttle, in geosynchronous orbit above this loading bay.  Work  collaboratively with the Sacajawea to ensure those loading bay doors stay open, and that we have a second option for escape from his place if something happens to the Sacajawea.
Or put the Sacajawea into orbit, and all ride that ... leaving the Abyss Shuttle on the ground.  Its up to you guys, but do make sure that both are projecting the scans that will keep those doors open".


Once Preston has changed places with Mcreeg, ch'Pertha took point,  leading the team deeper into the Artefact World ... in the same 'advance, cover, scan' pattern that they'd already set in place.


"Decker, are you able to locate and lock on to any residual energies from Federation Tech?  We may be a able to track the Abyss Team that way.
T'Lara, I need you working on that Alien Language.  If we figured it our, they  may have also ... and that might provide helpful clues in the directions they chose".

ch'Pertha himself was going to focus, on point as he was, on the more traditional tracking methods:
- were there any footprints or scuff marks?
- if control panels were used, is there any signs such as smears or disturbed dust?
etc



Ok, pesky NPC's out of the way ... lets go be the big damn heroes we all know we are!
This message was last edited by the player at 21:54, Thu 06 Aug 2020.

The Science Officer looked skeptical as he reconfigured his tricorder and began scanning the area ahead,
"There's a lot of energy being thrown around in here. It's going to be difficult to detect point sources such as a tricorder or communicator or even a phaser power pack at any kind of range."

What kind of roll am I making, Mr. GM Sir?