Out of the Loop
Episode Name: Out of the Loop Written By: Starfleet Cast: Duncan, Havaris, Park, Starfleet, Tahlandi and Tyler. Produced By: Starfleet Directed By: Starfleet Aired On: Thu Oct 17 11:28:31 2002 Stardate: 52711.9
Time: Thu Oct 17 02:53:27 2002
Stardate: 52711
A rather crowded, serious day in the science department. The doors have been sealed, locked, and special forcefield emitters put in place. Lt. Havaris was ordered to attend as part of hist duties as assistant department head. Tahlandi volunteered to be here as the senior officers' observer. Agent Duncan was invited, and Park has professional and personal interests. All of the officers and civilians in this room are armed with Type III phaser rifles, except for the person in charge. Lt. Tyler, dressed in standard Starfleet uniform, stands on a circular raised dais. The metal disk is encapsulated in a tube, from floor to ceiling, what appears to be one-meter thick transparent aluminum. She says something behind the glass, and a forcefield engages. The Lt. then touches her comm badge, which engages a transporter. Almost as soon as she begins to disappear from within the dais-forcefield-tube, she begins to reappear on your side of the construct. "Good, you're all armed. Let's hope you won't need it."
Despite Tyler's hopes for the best, Tahlandi doesn't hesitate in pulling her rifle into the ready position. "Hoping away, Mr. Tyler, but we'll see how good it does us..."
Duncan makes an adjustment on his rifle and brings it back to port arms. "I would suggest level 16 to anyone who hasn't already set to that level."
Tahlandi glances down at her rifle and makes the suggested adjustment quickly before glancing back up.
Park moves over to where he's got a small stasis generator set up, for obviously medical purposes and a biohazard container. He checks them both breifly before taking a second to FIND the level adjustment and setting it to level 16.
Havaris keeps his rifle at the ready, though at what he's meant to be aiming the thing, he's rather uncertain. Tahlandi's ever so encouraging vote of confidence causes him to frown rather more profoundly than he's normally given over to frowning. "I suppose this is a bad time to ask what I'm doing here?" Duncan's suggestion has Kusto's thumb sliiiiding up the juice. "Right. Sixteen. Is it too late to take 'Phaser Rifle' off my list of proficiencies and retire to a quiet life as a Lab Technician?"
Park grins up a Havaris, "Did I mention that I have an opening on my staff?"
Havaris remaks back to Park, "I'm scared, Park. I'm not stupid."
Duncan says, "Lt Park, after this is over I need a moment of your time, nothing major just something odd I'd like to discuss with a professional in your field."
Park nods over at Duncan. "Sure, no problem."
Tyler approaches Tahlandi, "Sir, if you would handle the transport controls, we can begin at your convenience."
"'Begin what?', he asked without hope of answer." Havaris backs up towards Duncan, adjusting the grip on his rifle.
Tahlandi nods and walks to the controls, keeping her right hand on the handle, her left hand coming off to work the controls.
Park moves over to Tyler and whispers something into her ear.
Park whispers to Tyler, "I don't think Kusto has been breifed on this, Wendy."
Duncan indicates the transparent aluminum cylinder and says to Havaris. "Aim there, if anything exits that tube, sanction it with extreme prejudice."
"I love it when you talk dirty to me." Havaris, having a target for his rifle, aims it at the tube, though he keeps it slung at waist level. Which might be a mistake, but is certainly more comfortable than sighting the thing.
Tyler is, in fact, all business. She may be skittish at other times, but not when it comes to her work. She looks to Aaron, pinches up her eyebrows and says, "Oh. My apologies, Lieutenant." She approaches Havaris and speaks quietly, but confidently, "We're releasing a Lithian we have in captivity. Agent Duncan's.. Colorful.. Briefing is also technically accurate." She looks to Tahlandi and says, "Be prepared to beam it back out and into the same buffer. And in a hurry, sir."
Park moves back into a firing position that, should he miss his intended target, will not put anyone else into harm's way.
Tahlandi nods a couple of times, glancing up when she's finished with her preparations. "Alright. Ready when you are."
"Lithian." Havaris pauses to repeat, "Lithian?" He blinks twice, offers an incredulous sort of laugh, and raises the rifle to sight down the barrel. Screw comfort. "Ready, then."
Duncan brings his rifle to bear on the target and waits patiently with an almost zen-like calm.
Tyler moves behind the people with guns and then turns to face the tube. She regards it for a moment before reaching to her waist and flipping open her tricorder. She speaks the traditional one word order. "Engage."
GAME: Tahlandi spends a courage point.
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transport) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
The whine of the transporter starts to engage. The buffer that the Lithian is stored in, is modified to store it as an infinite loop, and it is a tricky transport procedure. The anular confinement beam kicks in, and begins to glow, but starts to fade away. Tyler looks back to Tahlandi. "Uh, sir, is there a problem?"
Tahlandi continues to tap away frantically. "I'm having some unexpected feedback... trying to compensate..."
Cover. Cover would be good. Havaris, however, is someone /else's/ cover. So he fidgets in place a bit, calms his breathing, and keeps his rifle focussed on what might leap out and try to kill him in short order.
Park just stands there, continuously adjusting his grip on the unfamiliar weapon and staring at the containment area.
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
Duncan listens to the whine of the transporter cycle up and then back down again without taking his eyes off the tube.
Tyler watches in nothing short of abject horror as the beam fades in and out. "Put it back! Put it back!" she shouts amid the grinding whine of the transporter system.
Tahlandi nods rapidly. "Got it... aborting now..." Her eyes widen, but she keeps on the task at hand, aborting the procedure...
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
Havaris seems uncertain as to weather or not he's meant to be relieved by all of this or not. He tenatively lowers his rifle, glancing to Tahlandi, then to Tyler. "What...? Nevermind." He look back to the tube, lifting his rifle to his shoulder again.
Duncan doesnt even look away from the tube. "Back on target Sir, in coming..."
The transporter whines down again and Tyler's voice takes on a less businesslike and more frantic edge. "Is it safe?"
Park completely lowers his weapon as he stands and watches Tyler.
Duncan almost snaps out. "Pay attention people its materializing."
Tahlandi studies the readouts for a moment, and glances curiously at Duncan. "Um... no, it's not," she chuckles, before glancing at Tyler and nodding. "It's safe now, yes."
Havaris lowers his rifle at the all-clear from Tahlandi, slinging it around to his back with another one of those scowling frowns. "Are we trying this again? Whatever this was?"
Duncan lowers his rifle back to port arms and waits. "Sorry, thought I heard the materialization cycle completing in that last attempt."
Park moves over to his equipment and makes another check since there seems to be a lull in the action.
Tyler spins on Tahlandi when she says, 'no it's not'. She's about to have a heart attack. "It w-w-w-wha -" is all she's able to get out. She realizes the Bajoran was talking to Duncan then. "Oh my," she says softly. She braces herself against the console. "Please don't scare me like that, sir. When you're ready to try again, by all means." She breathes a huge sigh of relief and lets her shoulders droop as she relaxes again.
Tahlandi glances over at Tyler and blinks. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Tyler... I didn't realize... yes, I suppose I didn't word that very well... alright." She glances down at the console. "Let's give this another shot..."
Havaris eyes Tyler throughout the final phases of her panic, once more swinging his rifle around to rest at his hip before shaking his head a touch. He squares up a more balanced rifle stance, lifts the weapon stock to his shoulder and once more takes aim on the tube. "Ready."
Duncan on hearing that another attempt will be made, brings his own rifle back to bear on the tube and waits.
Park moves back once he realizes that another attempt is coming and assumes his former position.
Tahlandi begins working the controls again...
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!
Tyler swallows as she looks on. The beam enacts again, glowing in a vaguely humanoid shape, in and out. She looks over to Tahlandi for a moment, then looks back to the dais-in-a-tube. "Come on..." she says, impatiently. She's not panicking yet. Yet.
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!
Tahlandi continues to let her fingers fly over the console.. "I'm working on it," she grumbles through clenched teeth.
The transporter kicks in one final heave-ho, and the whine notches up and starts to sound, well, normal again. The sparkling form of a Lithian appears on the dais in the tube. It's a blue-white crystalline horror of the ilk that cost Lt. Poole her back, Lt. Dakin his arm, and Lt. Laco his good looks. It shifts its weight in its new environment and turns to and fro slightly as if examining its surroundings.
Duncan adjusts his aim and...waits.
"Kinda cute in a 'Prophets save me' sort of way." Havaris keeps his aim steady, even if he attempts to keep the mood just a touch more light. It is, after all, in a nice containment field. Right?
Park whips up the rifle that he'd dropped slightly as the first attempt obviously went awry. He's standing motionless, his fidgeting with his grip ended.
Tyler swallows as she regards the monstrosity. "There's nothing cute about it, Lieutenant." She wields the tricorder up again and taps something into it. "Computer. Activate the hologram," she says. A holographic image of a nondescript man appears in the center of the room. It walks toward the wall. The Lithian begins to track it with its body movement, and as the hologram gets closer, the Lithian becomes more animated. It tried to first bash the end of its crystalline arm against the forcefield within. The act is almost silent, as the glass is so thick, but the forcefield holds.
Duncan seems entirely focused on the blue crystaline apperition and makes very small corrections in his aim as the lithian moves, never more than a few centimeters at a time.
"I stand corrected." So much for blithe repartee. Havaris is Ducan's mirror as far as weapon adjustments are concerned. "With respect to the physiology...? Is its head... actually a head? Because that's where I'm aiming, but its body's a much fatter target." The questions you forget to ask before you realize what you're really going up against.
Park stands completely still. Likely you wouldn't be able to pry the weapon out of his hands at this point.
Tahlandi's hand has left the controls, and come back to her rifle, letting her steady it on her target as she watches closely.
"Only in the most rudimentary sense, Lt," Tyler replies to Havaris without taking her eyes off either the tricorder or the Lithian. The holographic man walks up to the edge of the tube, and then into it. The image of him distorts slightly in the glass, but it continues to walk straight to the dais. The Lithian continues to be agitated. It slams its arms against the forcefield repeatedly, only to be deflected again. It then pushes up against it, trying to gain leverage, and the forcefield crackles, but remains intact. The Lithian then tries its last mode of attack. It straightens up slightly, and a slender proboscis can be seen slide out of where a mouth would be on the average humanoid. It uses its body movement to add distance to the glowing blue goo that it ejects from it, which passes through the forcefield, through the hologram, and sticks to the glass surface. "Let's put it back, Lieutenant. We've got what we need."
Tahlandi nods rapidly. "Yeah... yeah, I think that's a good idea." And she glances back down at the controls, her hand coming off her rifle once more to go to work.
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!
Duncan continues to track the movements of the Lithain until the last sparkles of the transporter effect fade to nothingness.
The Lithian is taken up by the ACB as the transporter console engages, whining him away into the oblivion of the specialized containment buffer.
Park immediately moves over to the containment equipment as soon as the Lithian disappears. He activates the containment unit as he says, "OK, if you can lock onto that sample and beam it into this, Lieutenant."
Havaris makes a face of distaste at the spatter of goo on the inside of the glass. "Okay. That's just gross." He lowers his rifle once the creature is gone back to where it's hidden, glancing about at the rest of the team with a quiet clearing of his throat.
Tahlandi nods a couple of times, her right hand coming off the rifle to help her work the console.
<CONTEST> Tahlandi (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!
Duncan says, "what is more Gross, is what even a milliliter of that could do to you. Lt.""
"Agent Duncan needs to review the definition of Classified, I think." Havaris gives Duncan a blank stare for a moment before rotating out his right wrist. "Some things, I just don't want to know, even if I /am/ curious."
Tyler glances between Havaris and Duncan. "You need look no further than the length of your commanding officer's arm, Lt. Havaris," she says grimly. She moves to Park and asks, "Is it secure?"
"I /don't/ need to /know/ this." Kusto glances back to Tyler, giving her a glare now. "Can I go now? Before -everyone- gets courtmartialed?"
Park hits a couple of buttons before he nods. "Yes, everything looks good. The sample is intact."
Duncan glances down at the sample case and shudders...then mutters something about some models he left running and needs to check on.
Tyler replies to Havaris, "I can clear whomever I choose for information, Lt. You need not worry about a courts martial." She smiles to Park and puts a hand on his back. "Thanks," she says to him. "Thank you all for your help. Computer, release locks on the doors, authorization Tyler Gamma Two Two."
Tahlandi nods a couple of times. "No problem, Mr. Tyler."
Park gives Tyler a smile and a pat on the leg as he's kneeling down by the container.
"Great," Havaris says with no less annoyance in his voice, "although that doesn't really address the first part of my statement, does it?" He looks to Tahlandi with an arched brow, "Am I dismissed, Sir?"
"And terminate hologram," Tyler adds to the computer order. The generic, non-descript human male winks out of existence. She looks between Havaris and Tahlandi at the Bajoran man's question. "Sure," she says.
Tahlandi nods. "Go ahead. Thanks for the help, Mr. Havaris."
Duncan nods to Tyler "Any time." and makes his way to the door.
"Not a problem, Sir. Thank you, Sir." Havaris glances generally about the lab for a moment longer before shaking his head one last time and hauling his rifle towards the door.
Park stands up and moves over toward Tyler and just stands quietly.
Duncan looks back at Park as he heads out. "Message me when you have that free moment, its not urgent."
Duncan walks out of the lab and into the corridor.
Duncan has left.
Havaris has left.
Tahlandi looks over the console's readout one last time before heading for the door, nodding to Tyler on the way out. "Keep up the good work, Mr. Tyler."
Tyler gives Tahlandi a smile and a wave as the woman moves to the door. "Thank you, sir. You're welcome to observe any time."
Tahlandi nods a couple of times. "I'll keep that in mind, Lieutenant." And then the doors hiss open, and the blonde Bajoran exits.
Tyler slides an arm around Aaron Park and looks up to him. "Let's head home. We can work on the sample tomorrow."
Park smiles down at Tyler and leans down to kiss her gently. "I think that's a wonderful idea." He glances up briefly at the place where the Lithian previously stood. "I think I've had more than enough excitment for one day."
