As the Independence hurtled towards the battered world of Chaktir to affect an evacuation... in case their mission failed... the crew of the shuttlecraft Sacajawea guided the small craft towards the planet-sized looming base that orbited the awe-inspiring force of the black hole... their mission: gain access, and alter the rotation of the black hole.  Somehow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:14, Thu 24 Oct 2019.

ch’Pertha sat aboard the Sacajawea quietly, checking his gear.
He’d brought both sidearm phaser and rifle, as well as medkit and a pouch of additional supplies.

Glancing over at Decker, he remembered the quick medical skill that the Science Officer had brought to the incident when the former captain had been hurt.
The soldier casually said, “Back in the academy, we were...”, he paused, then shrugged, “involved in a training excersise that ... went wrong”.  It was as though he was talking to himself, but aloud, so that those nearby could hear him.

“We were trapped for some time.
Someone died; someone lost a leg.   Because none of us knew how to ....

That’s when I realised that Security wasn’t just about guns and fist; wasn’t about being the toughest in the room, or the first through the door.
Sometimes it meant keeping people alive ... until the cavalry comes, or you can get them to med facilities”.

Checking his gear had consisted more of checking the medkit and supplies he was carrying, than the weapons, those nearby might have noticed.
And that kit, those supplies, were almost entirely first aid and trauma wound equipment.   There was little but the basics in there for diagnosis, ongoing treatment, or taking samples.   It was just packed out with what might be needed to keep someone alive, until ...
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Sat 26 Oct 2019.

The ancient alien structure that orbited the spinning singularity drew ever nearer.  In her seat in the shuttle, LT Lyn Nipay fidgeted and looked at her monitor.

"Still no comm signals in or out," she said, her dark eyes reflecting the data as it lit up her screen. She glanced up at ch'Pertha, then a quick check to see who else was listening.  Aboard the shuttle, Decker, T'Lara, Jav'Ker, and others... including McCreeg, who was piloting.

Gravimetric shear increased as they grew nearer.


This message was last edited by the player at 05:02, Sat 27 June 2020.

Mcreeg's head cocked a bit as he listens to what's being said, most of his focus on thanks screen and his readouts, shuttles not needing much beyond the occasional adjustments, yet still he feels his heart racing in that wonderful way it does right before things are about to get busy.

"Always better to plan for the worst, to have contingencies to contingencies, prepare for what can't happen" his voice is soft, speaking aloud as much to himself as a response to his superior, looking at his left hand and flexing it, mind wandering for a moment before refocusing on his job.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:54, Sat 27 June 2020.

T'Lara eyebrows furrowed with concern as the Sacajawea tilted from the effects of the gravitational distortion.  She was eager to join Starfleet not that long ago in search for adventure, but now it dawned upon her that such adventures could be dangerous, and unexpectedly short.

Not wanting to disrupt Mcreeg who now held all their lives in his hand, she kept silent, trying to recall the details on their mission, and think on what a ship counselor could possibly do to help.

As the massive alien facility... roughly the size of Earth... looms larger, more details of its neutronium surface can be seen.  The team recalled the brief conversation with Dr. T'Lah, the Federation lead scientist and commander of Abyss Station (which also orbits the spinning black hole)...

Aboard the Sacajawea, LT Harada sat on one of the inboard-facing seats, waiting for something to happen. Glancing at the Vulcan counselor, she met eyes for a moment, then nodded.

"I'm glad you're along," she said.  "If any of the station's landing party are still alive... they may need you."

Abyss station had, after all, sent a team of scientists and engineers over... and apparently triggered something that set the black hole to spinning...
This message was last edited by the player at 05:53, Sun 28 June 2020.

Mcreeg's focus becoming stronger the closer they get, more things to go wrong, more random things to come at them, to go wrong, fingers working his station like the musicians he grew up with, making adjustments so minute only he and the shuttle know they've been made..

23:13, Today: LT JG Xanatos Mcreeg rolled 29 using 2d20 with rolls of 14,15.  control (11) + con (4).Helm Operations Focus
This message was last edited by the player at 06:15, Sun 28 June 2020.

“Ltn Commander Decker.    I’m led to believe that our scans cannot penetrate the skin of that beast.
But we’re under the assumption that the Abyss shuttle landed on its surface.
Regardless of its condition, maybe our sensors can locate it?”
If they could, it would at least give the Landing Party a starting point to begin their search.

Decker shook himself out of the light meditative trance he had habitually dropped into while preparing for the mission ahead.
"Of course, Commander. Sorry. I was just thinking about ... well, any first contact with an alien technology is a particular challenge."
He accessed the shuttle's computer with quick expert movements and began running a sensor sweep across the artifact's surface.


23:48, Today: LCDR Christopher Decker rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17.  Sensor sweep: Reason+Science (17) - second die.
23:48, Today: LCDR Christopher Decker rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17.  Sensor sweep: Reason+Science (17).
Dunno if the shuttle's sensors have enough oomph to help out, but that's two successes - barely.

Decker's face was lit blue by the wash of readings from his sensor screen.  The young Starfleet legacy officer saw details scroll across his view.  The engineering feat it would take to build such a structure was far beyond ANYTHING the Federation had.  Only a race like the Fabrini or the Preservers... and maybe not even them.  The object was roughly the size of Earth, but had a skin of neutronium, the densest material known to science.

08:53, Today: Starfleet Command, for the NPC Sajawea, rolled 13 using 1d20 with rolls of 13.  Sensors assist.

It was completely impenetrable.  But Decker knew that going in.  Looking for the station's shuttle, though, didn't pan out... it wasn't there.  However, he did locate some scaffolds and construction on the surface... Starfleet equipment.  It appeared to be the source of a small antigravity field... what Dr. T'Lah had mentioned they'd rigged to allow scientists to walk on the surface without becoming mint jam down there.

Obviously, scanning an object the size of Earth for an object the size of a small bus could take some time... at least one complete orbit.  Time was at a premium... and the Sacajawea was just now drawing into a far orbit.

And as it did so, near the scaffolding and antigravity field... a small portal irised open.

Large enough, in fact, to admit a shuttlecraft...
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:00, Sun 28 June 2020.

Decker arched an eyebrow as he read the results. He could see where this was going, but it was his duty to report the results to the XO and trust him to make the right call...

"No sign of the shuttlecraft, Sir, but I do have the location. Starfleet construction, and the anti-grav field that Dr. T'Lah mentioned. And while I was scanning, a portal opened in the surface."

He looked up. "It appears to be large enough to take the shuttle in."

"I just hope they're alright"
T'Lara smiled softly at the young lieutenant.
The new revelation about a portal opening on the surface of the planet was intriguing.  Was someone excepting them? She was willing to gamble it wasn't a trap - whomever constructed this mega-structure was light-years more advanced that the Federation.  So if they wanted to do them harm, they could have blasted them from a distance, rather than invite them in.

"Do we fly in?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:19, Sun 28 June 2020.

“No”, ch’Pertha replied, contemplatively.   “The Abyss Shuttle must have landed on the surface.   They’d need to have constructed that Anti-Grav equipment from the exterior, and then still been outside when they search for, and found, the panels they accessed.
If they took the shuttle in, they must have done so after that”.

He assumed that the pilot had access to all the data that was coming through from the scans,
“Ltn Mcreeg, can you find way to park us within the Anti-Grav area, but beside the portal?”

ch’Pertha had no intent on flying straight into the proverbial Lion’s Mouth.  Not yet, anyway.
“Ltn Commander Decker, if there is a portal open, that breaches the hull.  See if you can get some scans into the bay within as we approach, please”

"If it's there, I'll find it, Sir"

He says, turning enough to show to whom he is speaking without full losing attention to his screen and boards, yet another challenge willing and happily accepted.

Turning back and focusing all his attention his eyes scanning all the data at his disposal, looking for the slightest hint, a hint of a hint even.


20:15, Today: LT JG Xanatos Mcreeg rolled 17 using 2d20 with rolls of 3,14.  control (11) + con (4). diff 2.  18:25, Today: LT JG Xanatos Mcreeg rolled 1 using 1d20 with rolls of 1.  control (11) + con (4). diff 2.

I hope you  can make heads or tails of it
This message was last edited by the player at 03:17, Mon 29 June 2020.

"I'll do my best, Sir, but that's a pretty small target until we're on top of it."

Decker started scanning for power readings first, reasoning that he should be able to detect the shuttle's systems at a greater distance. One the shuttle was closer, he started scanning for lifeforms instead.

GM, what do you want from me? :)
This message was last edited by the player at 00:08, Mon 29 June 2020.

OOC: Mcreeg an make a Control + Conn roll, assisted by the shuttle's Engines + Conn (total of 9 for the shuttle, roll a third and separate die for that one) for his approach.  Difficulty is 2.

Decker will make a Reason + Science check, assisted by the shuttle's Computers + Science (8 total for that one). Difficulty is 2, with any extra successes being able to be spent as an immediate spend for more info.

As a reminder, we've got 3 Momentum in the pool, should anyone want to buy more dice. ;)

Difficulty was 2.  Mcreeg's two dice got him 2 successes, while the shuttle's die was a critical (1 is two successes; as is a roll equal to your Discipline IF you have a focus that applies).

So, that's two Momentum in the pool for you all!

I'll wait on Decker's roll before I narrate.  Anyone else is free to chime in. 
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:22, Mon 29 June 2020.

22:04, Today: LCDR Christopher Decker rolled 45 using 4d20 with rolls of 19,18,5,3.  Sensor sweep: Reason+Science (17) (3 dice - Testing a Theory) with Computers+Science (8).

22:06, Today: LCDR Christopher Decker rolled 14 using 1d20 with rolls of 14.  Re-roll of the 19 using the Technical Expertise talent (target 17).

Oof. Still, 3 successes. As I'm a Studious Science Officer, I get two questions from a free bonus momentum, so you can bank one of those.

Two questions, hm?  Any trace of the shuttle's energy signature?  And how about those precious little lifeforms?

Landing the shuttle was the opposite of flying into a downspout.  Gravity fields fluctuated wildly at the edge, with gravity in the center tolerable, and gravity on the rest of the sphere, well... crushing.  But Mcreeg handled it well, spiraling in and then settling towards the ring of normal gravity with aplomb.

Decker's scans were likewise hindered by the common problem: the neutronium.  But the open iris gave him a window, albeit a narrow one, into the Earth-sized station...

OOC: One more momentum to the pool.  It's now full, at 6.  You guys are going in hot! ;)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:02, Mon 29 June 2020.

Decker nodded with approval as he coaxed the computer through filtering out the noise and distortion and processing the limited data passing through the opening.

"Their shuttle definitely passed through the opening. The ion trail seems smooth, which suggests that they went voluntarily. I'm detecting traces of the shuttle's hull, but no energy readings. I'm also not seeing any signs of life, but the sensors can't read much past the doorway itself. I wonder why they chose to bring the shuttle inside, though..."

He looked up, "I agree with landing outside. I also recommend that we keep at least part of our party outside. Someone who can open the portal and have them re-open it periodically under the assumption that we may not be able to do so from the inside. There should also be someone who can fly the shuttle back to the ship if we do not return. They can shelter inside the shuttle in the meantime."

"Well, I could stay behind here and relay comms," Nipay said, lacking any enthusiasm at the prospect.  "But then I wouldn't be along to help decipher any alien language you encounter."

Mcreeg smiles, not so much impressed at his own skills per sey, but at the way he and the shuttle seemed to work as one, as partners in one of those dances his people are so fond of, and he can't help it, he gives the instruments one last check, making sure things are as safe as can be.

Turning to look at the Lieutenant Commander, making sure to show respect and that he still knows his place, something he sometimes forgets.."where would you like me, sir? I want to be of as useful as I can"

If he wants to be honest with himself, he wants to be where the action is..and yet part of him doesn't like the idea of being outside the shuttle..