Communications Breakdown

 Episode Name:  Communications Breakdown

   Written By:  Eidolon

         Cast:  Eidolon, Green, Krylow, Matheson, McKenna, Nabrun, Walters and Winters.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Eidolon

     Aired On:  Sun Nov 13 01:29:06 2005

     Stardate:  55406.2

Time: Sat Nov 12 20:08:07 2005

Stardate: 55405.6

The runabout Cape Fear slices through space, the starlight smeared by travel at warp speed. Its destination: DS-121, a subspace communications relay which is under the station's direct command.

The runabout is loaded down with supplies for the outpost, and a full crew of Starfleet personnel to check on the station's operations. It's standard duty; indeed, it approaches the mundane side of routine.

Krylow shifts slightly in his seat, watching the view screen as they head for the relay. After a moment he glances around the flight deck. "Lieutenant McKenna, please keep me updated on the ETA. Lieutenant Green, please maintain regular passive scans. This might be a simple cargo run but we'll keep our eyes open. Any questions before we reach the relay?"

"Aye, sir," Green acknowledges the command, keeping an eye on her board. "No questions from me, Lieutenant."

Walters sits down at Engineering.

McKenna sits down at Pilot.

Walters looks over as he settles into the Engineering seat with a large smile. "Nothing as of yet. When Ah see a blinking light I'll be sure to ask, of course..."

McKenna offers up from his spot, "ETA remains as originally announced, barring any scenic detours. Seeing as how we're a few million miles from anything resembling scenery, I think we're fine. No questions on this end."

Nabrun is sitting back and out of the way, hands folded on her lap. She seems relaxed and comfortable, almost an observer. "No questions, Lieutenant," she replies quietly, formally.

Matheson sits in a passenger seat, since he isn't really good at all the piloting things, and makes sure that he has his medical kit in order. He looks up when asked about questions, and says, "None from me."

Krylow nods to McKenna's response. "Very good, Lieutenant McKenna." He turns towards the general group of Walters, Nabrun and Matheson. "Once we reach the relay Mister will be point on transferring the cargo to the relay. I'd like to the two of you to assist him with that task. If possible the rest of the crew will assist as well."

Green tilts her head, listening quietly as she attends to her own work.

Walters nods at the command chair. "Ah reckon it shouldn't be too much trouble. This is mah first time, admittedly, but..."

. o O Walters feels relaxed and confident

McKenna nods to Krylow in acknowledgement of the most recent round of directives, and continues to make sure the craft stays on track.

Matheson nods once, "Aye, sir." He glances at Nabrun, and then says, "And should anyone drop a crate on their foot, we will of course be prepared."

Nabrun dips her head to Alek. "Aye, sir," she says in reply, then grins to Matheson. "Don't give them any ideas," she murmurs, keeping her voice quiet. "The power of suggestion is, well, a powerful thing."

The rest of the time to the relay proceeds smoothly, and the runabout slows to sublight speeds nearby. It's a ungainly looking structure -- the letter t in space, with various antennas and other structures sticking off the main body. It's not very large, either -- the three souls who serve their six-month stints here must not mind close quarters.

The communications panel chirps as the ship closes in. "This is Ensign Paul Winters, commanding officer of Dee-Ess One-Two-One, hailing the runabout Cape Fear. We're glad to see that you made it in one piece -- we were beginning to think that we might be the only people left in the universe out here."

"Not at all Mister Winters," replies Krylow, shifting his attention back to the viewscreen and answering the hail. "This is Lieutenant jay gee Alek Krylow, mission commander of the USS Cape Fear. Both my crew and your supplies are ready to go, so we're just waiting on your green light and instructions."

Green takes a brief look up through the viewports at the relay. Shaking her head a little, she begins readying her board for the time to put it in standby.

. o O Green thinks, "I'd go nuts on a tiny little station like that."

Walters chuckles as he slowly stands out of his chair. "Ah almost wonder if there's enough room in there for the cargo. Still, Ah'm of a mind to head down to the cargo now..."

Walters stands and leaves Engineering.

McKenna eyes the relay dubiously. "It looks like an architect got drunk and mugged, one after the other," he mutters wryly, while checking his instrument panel once more. "I'd hate to be out here for any length of time."

Matheson looks up at the viewscreen from where he sits at the floating T of the station. He purses his lips, and remarks, "Well, I suppose it is an independent command..." a pause, then, "Then again, so is a shuttlecraft." He sighs slightly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Nabrun is quiet as she studies DS121, head tilted to the side. Looks as though she's memorizing the layout of the little T.

"Well, sir, why don't you just link up at our airlock and we'll get underway?" Winters replies over the comms. "If you folks have a communications engineer with you, that'd be great. We're having some problem with our long-range relays."

"There are one or two of us who can assist with that," replies Krylow. "We'll proceed with docking and see you in a moment, Mister Winters. Krylow out." With that he terminates the communications. "Lieutenant McKenna, bring us and dock with the airlock. Lieutenant Green, let's take one last scan of the area before we start our work. Mister Walters, I'm going to move you to handling the engineering repairs. Lieutenant McKenna will handle transferring the supplies with Lieutenants Nabrun and Matheson assisting. Any questions?"

Green looks around quickly toward McKenna and Matheson at their less-than-complimentary words, glances toward the open com. "Aye, sir." She turns back to her board to scan.

Walters says, "None here. Ah'm off to see what's been gnawing on their communications then."

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems vs Impossible and Fails.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems vs Difficult and Succeeds.

McKenna nods to Krylow. "Heavy lifting it is. And docking in progress."

"Understood, sir." Matheson responds, glancing again at the station as they move towards the station.

Nabrun rises and nods, smiling. "Yes, Sir," she tells the command officer, smoothing her hands down the sides of her uniform pants.

The runabout nestles smoothly into the docking collar, linking up at the airlocks. The door slides open a moment later, and in comes Winters -- a short, non-descript sort of man with red hair, with a uniform so starched it's obvious he's very recently graduated from the Academy. He pauses just inside the entrance, and smiles. "I think this is the most room I've seen in six months," he murmurs, appreciation in his tone.

Krylow chuckles softly, standing to meet Winters. "We'd bring you more space, Mister Winters, if we could." He gestures to McKenna, then Matheson and McKenna. "Lieutenant McKenna will be in charge of your supplies and Lieutenants Nabrun and Matheson assisting." A gesture to Walters. "Mister Walters will be helping with the repairs." A gestures then to Green. "Lieutenant Green, our security officer. If there anything else we can assist with?"

Green glances around to give Winters a nod, then leans forward, peering a little more closely at her scan results. "Lieutenant Krylow? Begging your pardon for interrupting, sir, but I'm picking up something odd here."

Walters chuckles as he offers Winters a hand. "You sure there's enough room in there for all the cargo? Ah'm Ensign Walters, in charge of Engineering for this here little pilgrimage. Who's been handling your relays that have been so ornery?" He leaves Green's comment alone for now, though he does spare her a glance.

"You should see how much room we get if we take out the seats," quips McKenna, as he greets Winters amiably, once he's made sure the runabout's docked and secured.

Matheson stands once the runabout is secured and nods when his name is mentioned. He is about to say something, but then when Green makes her comment he only manages to mutter, "Of course..."

Nabrun lifts a hand to Winters by way of greeting, but otherwise stays right behind the officer she was assigned to help. At Green's words, she glances over her shoulder at the security officer, brow furrowing a little.

Winters takes hold of Walters' hand and shakes firmly. "Chief Zaros is our communications officer, and Cadet Ivari is our security chief. They'll be able to show you to our equipment." He grins at all the jokes, then turns back toward the airlock. "As far as getting everything squared away and our communications issues, I don't know of anything else that you can help with, Lieutenant. We're pretty well set out here, as far as I know."

Krylow nods to Winters. "Very good. My team will get started on the work," he says, tossing glances to Walters and McKenna. That out of the way he moves back beside Green, leaning down near her to peer at the screen and apparently listen to her.

Green points at the scan results, murmuring, "I don't think it's their comm system having problems. Subspace is very, very quiet here, abnormally so. I can pick up our emissions, and the relay's, but that's it. It doesn't seem to be localized either; it's that way all around us."

Walters pauses as he turns to Green. No interference, just a dampening field? If so Ah should be able to contact you from their relay and check it off yours, assuming that it's a subspace phenomina instead of a equipment malfunction."

McKenna quirks a brow at the mention of an anomaly, but gets to work on his own project, listening with half an ear to the others in the meantime.

Walters pauses as he turns to Green. "No interference, just a dampening field? If so Ah should be able to contact you from their relay and check it off yours, assuming that it's a subspace phenomina instead of a equipment malfunction."

Nabrun tilts her head to listen to the conversation going back and forth, but is otherwise quiet for now.

Leading the way into the interior of the relay, Winters introduces Chief Zaros, a smiling male Bolian in a yellow turtleneck with a sling on his right arm, and Cadet Ivari, a grim sort of Andorian female in a cadet's uniform. Winters pauses, calling back toward the doctors, "Oh, by the way, you might want to check out Chief Zaros' arm. I took some first aid courses at the Academy, but he dislocated his shoulder pretty badly two days ago and I'm not certain I got him all fixed up."

Zaros' smile dims just a little bit. "C'mon, skipper, it's not that bad. Honest."

Krylow glances to the rest of the team for a moment, then back to Green. His voice is low in reply. "Is is a constant? In other words, can you triangulate where the center of the disturbance is located? It could be something artificial, so find out everything that you can." Finished his quiet orders he turns to Walters. "Once Lieutenant Green is done with her scans she will head up to the array with you."

. o O Krylow thinks, "This problem might explain the comment about thinking no one else was alive in the universe."

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems vs Difficult and Fails.

"I didn't pick up a damnpening field. Just a lot of quiet." Green nods to Krylow and works a few minutes more before shaking her head. "Just getting the same thing as before, Lieutenant. All around us."

Walters smiles at Krylow and nods. "Ah'll expect her, then, sir." He then follows Winters inside and accepts the introduction to Zaros. Looking to Zaros he gives a warm smile and says, "Ah'm Ensign Walters, nice to meet ya. Perhaps we can jaw a bit while they're waving their magic wands over your shoulder? Ah've been told you were having a problem with your communication relay, though Ah wasn't told, yet, what the symptoms were."

McKenna reflexively sucks in his gut as he helps to unload the cargo, as if to take up less room in the already cramped space. For the time being, he's just keeping quiet and taking care of business. He's studying the environment and its inhabitants, perhaps getting a feel for what they might need in the future.

Matheson sees Zaros when the injury to his arm is mentioned, and unslings his medical kit, "I'll have a look at it." he says, hand slipping almost reflexively into his labcoat pocket to remove his medical tricorder.

Nabrun smiles a bit as Matheson takes the patient, then moves toward the cargo. Yes, the Counselor is enjoying the pack-mule duties right alongside the Quartermaster. She's keeping an ear out, apparently, for the conversations.

GAME: Matheson contests his Personal Equipment/Medical Tricorder vs Moderate and Succeeds.

Winters vanishes into the depths of the station, which is like saying he hides underneath the water in the shallow end of the wading pool in all actuality, heading off toward Operations.

Zaros, in the meantime, shrugs, then winces as he does so. "Well, it started three days ago. It's the strangest thing -- it's like a localized subspace disturbance or a dampening field, but there's no source of it that we can find. The best thing I can come up with is some kind of supernova event, but..." he gestures with his good arm. "...well, I haven't seen any stars blow up around here recently."

GAME: Krylow contests his Intellect vs Challenging and Fails.

Krylow frowns before he nods to Green and head tilts in the way Walters went. "Go along with Mister Walters. I will come and join you in in a moment or two." That said he heads over to where Nabrun, McKenna and Matheson are working. "Thank for the information, Chief. Lieutenant McKenna, keep an eye on things here. I'm going to go join Lieutenant Green and Mister Walters and work on the subspace problem."

Green sends her board into standby mode and rises, adjusting the phaser at her hip as she turns to follow Krylow. "Aye, sir." She ducks through the hatch to track down Walters.

Walters chuckles and nods to Zaros. "Unless it's something that effects the equipment directly, such as an EMP pulse on electromagnetic circutry, Ah'm going to reckon we have something more like a subspace field inversion or some other subspace phenomena. The nice thing is that with a shuttle we might be able to find out a boundary and perhaps centralize the point of origin. Still, until Ah at least get a feel for it Ah'm simply daydreaming upon a blue sky. Mind if Ah steal Winters for a bit to show me where the relays are?"

McKenna nods to Krylow. "I'll be sure to sing out if anything happens." He considers Walters, eyes glazing over at 'electromaginetic circuitry' and unglazing somewhere around 'blue sky'. "I doubt anything will leap out and bite me," he adds wryly. "But you never know on these places."

Matheson opens his kit and removes the tissue regenerator, "As my father would say, this looks as if a shoemaker did it." With the tricorder in one hand and the tissue regenerator in the other, the doctor starts to adjust the dislocated shoulder.

"Of course not, sir," Zaros replies, gesturing down the hallway. "Operations is that way, and the relays are up the vertical Jeffries Tube near mid-station. It's a long climb, and... well, kinda slippery in places." He gestures at his bad arm with the good hand. "Be careful."

GAME: Walters contests his Space Sciences vs Challenging and Fails.

Krylow nods to McKenna and then heads out to follow after Walters and Green as the three follow Zaros' directions.

Green catches up with Walters in time to hear Zaros' directions. She gives the latter a nod. "Point taken." She turns on her heel to follow Walters.

Walters smiles and raises his hand up a few inches before his hair line, closes his fingers, and nods as he brings his hand down a bit farther. Then he his hand back up where it was as he returns his head up and unclasps his hand. "Much obliged, pardner. Ah'll watch myself as I go there." After this unusual maneuver he heads off to brave the corridors needed to find the relays given those directions.

McKenna watches the others head off. "Have fun," he calls amiably, before checking on some more of the cargo.

Matheson puts his tricorder away as he uses one hand to now manually move Zaros's shoulder, "This might hurt just a bit." His hand moves and then he reapplies the regenerator, "There! Right as rain. Should be back to normal in the morning."

Nabrun works side by side with McKenna, moving cargo, apparently lost in thought as she works.

. o O McKenna thinks, "This place gives me the creeps."

. o O Nabrun thinks, "I wonder what would cause the dampening? Hmmmmm. To fall back on what I learned in the Academy..."

In Operations, Winters sits at the duty console. "We can't leave things unmanned for too long," he explains as the three enter from the corridor. "Still nothing on our long-range comms. I'm running through a level one diagnostic now."

Zaros offers a smile to Matheson. "Thanks a lot, doctor. Can I help pack the cargo in now?"

"Do you have any other details on this situation?" asks Krylow, after he enters behind the other two. "Everything you have will help us figure out the problem, if possible."

Green tries to find a spot where she can listen and not be in the way and still have space to breathe. Her selected spot almost qualifies.

Walters considers as he approaches the console. "A level one? Ah take it is currently off line, then? Computer, please give me the estimated time of completion for the level one diagnostics on the communications relays."

McKenna glances to Nabrun and grins. "So... when I said I wanted a vacation, I didn't mean this. I was thinking more, you know, pleasure planet with all-you-can-eat buffets and endless beaches. Who was our travel agent on this?" he teases. Nothing like idle chatter. Or nervous idle chatter.

Nabrun laughs quietly and shakes her head as she moves along with McKenna. "I agree," she replies with a wry smile. "I was thinking Dulcais, maybe. But it's fun to see what else is out there. I mean, these folks haven't seen others in some time - it's a six month stint. We get to meet new people and bring a little excitement into their lives. Maybe." She chuckles and hefts a crate of supplies. "Or they bring it into ours. We can help out, so that works."

"What the chief told you pretty much is all we have," Winters replies to Krylow, indicating that sound does indeed travel in this place. "We can't find anything mechanically -wrong- with the systems, and we can't find any localized distortions that would indicate that there's anything blocking the signal. The comms are just dead, sir, and we can't figure out why." The computer, in the meantime, pipes in with a "Five minutes until diagnostic is completed."

Meanwhile, the cargo unloading proceeds smoothly with the help of Zaros and Ivari. "To be honest," the Bolian tells Nabrun, "This is the strangest thing I've ever seen, and I've been in the fleet now for almost twenty years. Trust me, we could all use a vacation."

Ivari nods, somewhat brusquely. "We had thought that maybe something had gone wrong out there," she adds. "Maybe the Dominion had come back."

Krylow nods to Winters as he moves into a seat at a spare console himself. "Mister Walters, let's start ruling out what this can and can not be. Lieutenant Green, if you have ideas feel free to pitch in."

"I'll be happy to, sir," Tay drawls.

. o O Green thinks, "Um, hello? I'm not exactly an engineer. I don't even know how this stuff works."

GAME: Krylow spends a courage point.

GAME: Krylow contests his Space Sciences/Subspace Field Dynamics+A vs Challenging and Fails.

Walters says, "Let's start by tossing out equipment failure. Equipment being effected, perhaps, but two separate systems going on the fritz in the same way without an external cause? Hardly. Computer, pause level one diagnostic, we'll get back to it. Lieutenant..." He pauses and looks to Green. "Sorry, Ah don't think ah caught your name before. Would you be kind enough to go look at their sensors and see if they're picking up the same as on our vessel? If you're not too busy?"

"Good thing we're here," comments McKenna idly. "We're used to strange and unusual. Except me. I go for lurid and flamboyant. But the thought remains. Let's hope we can fix whatever it is."

. o O Krylow is a touch irritated as Walters starts tossing orders around.

Matheson puts his medical equipment away and slings his pack back over his shoulder before he moves to help with the unloading, putting his proverbial back into it.

Nabrun tilts her head slightly to the side as she looks over to Zaros and Ivari. "Mmmm," she replies. "It certainly seems rather odd. Was anything strange going on when it happened? Do you recall anything out of the normal ordinary operations? Any storms or the like?"

"No, sir," Zaros murmurs, his smile fading once again. "I'm thinking about asking for a transfer out of here for some leave if you folks can't figure out what's wrong. It's hard being stationed here most of the time. It's all been normal, except for no one talking to us."

"Thank you for your help, sir," Winters tells Krylow, sounding relieved. "It's been hard on us to be isolated from everything here."

Krylow works at the console for a moment, before turning to Walters, regarding him for a moment. When he speaks its in quiet, neutral tones. "Mister Walters, I was asking for ideas and not for orders. Mister Winters and the chief have already confirmed they've spotted the same subspace dampening. Finish the level one diagnostic so we have freshly tested systems, and talk to me about the ideas you might have. Or do research based on the results, if you don't have ideas." A glance to Green. "Any ideas, Tay, even if you think they are stupid, will be music to my ears."

GAME: Krylow contests his Space Sciences/Subspace Field Dynamics+A vs Challenging and Succeeds.

Green lifts an eyebrow slightly with a glance toward Walters, then looks back to Alek. "Honestly, nothing's coming to mind at the moment." Her gaze goes to Winters. "How long have you had this problem? Anything unusual happen right before? Anything, no matter how tiny."

Walters reddens in surprise, but quickly nods. "Aye Sir. Computer, resume level one diagnostic and bring up communication records from one day prior to first recorded anomalous entries."

. o O Walters feels shock

. o O Walters thinks, "Orders? What the...ok..."

. o O Green thinks, "Who, what, where, when, why. Treat it like the kind of investigation you're used to, Tay. Go with your strengths."

McKenna frowns thoughtfully. "Yeah, I can see where it might be a little unpleasant to be out here with no one new to talk to. I assume you've already gotten bored of every card game you know."

"Of course..." Matheson adds, tossing in his two cents, "The only thing worse than being out here alone for six months would be being out here with us for any length of time." And with that, he goes back to moving boxes.

Nabrun mmmms quietly and nods. "I can imagine," she says quietly. "What do you all do for recreation?" She grins at Matheson and shakes her head.

GAME: Walters spends a courage point.

GAME: Walters contests his Computer+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

Winters considers Green's question for a few moments. "No, nothing unusual that I can think of, unless you want to know about me rearranging my room," he offers with a slight grin.

"Oh, well, we've got quite the poker night going out here," Zaros tells Nabrun, grinning at Matheson's joke. "And if you're really nice, Ivari might let us do her hair."

The Andorian snorts. "Dream on, old man," she tells the Bolian, but it's with genuine affection in her tone.

Krylow turns back his console for a moment before frowning. "Mister Winters, prior to us when was the last time you had any sort of visitors to the relay or nearby space? I ask because I'm sure that the source is artificial. Lieutenant Green, once the level one diagnostics are completed on the communications systems I want you to try scanning through various frequencies. You should be able to isolate several different sources."

Green hehs in a polite sort of way to acknowledge that Winters made a joke. "Aye, sir," she nods to Alek and finds a console at which to work.

GAME: Walters contests his Computer+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

Walters says, "Ah have no external or internal power sources other than the stations within the relay sensor's range, but that only extends a single light year. The vessel we came in has about the same range, but it is mobile..."

McKenna grins at Zaros. "Poker, eh? Sounds like fun." He glances around, studying the place some more. "Whatever passes the time, of course. Until someone cheats and gets caught."

"Thinking of new ways to cheat passes the time, too." Matheson pauses to wipe his brow on his sleeve. "Oh, well, I suppose it does serve to make a return to civilisation all the more sweet. How much longer do you have on station?"

Nabrun shifts her rhythm slightly, apparently ensuring one of the S419 crew is on the runabout at all times. If McKenna or Matheson are off, she's on. It's apparent what she's doing. For now, though, she listens to the conversation, smiling a touch at something.

"Visitors, sir?" Winters thinks about that for a while. "Oh, say two weeks ago, there was a Ferengi freighter that passed by. 'The Thirty-Fourth Rule'. The Daimon was a real toad, made a couple of passes at Cadet Ivari before I told him to shove off." The young officer shrugs slightly. "He was trying to sell us some 'rare trinkets' from a 'pre-warp civilization' in the sector. I figure he was either talking Trelab or Irdosia, so I sent him on his way and filed a report with sector."

Ivari smirks at that. "Oh, Ensign Winters tries to cheat all the time, sir. He's just not very good at it. I've got another three months left on my rotation, sir."

"You shouldn't talk that way about the skipper. He just does it all in good fun," Zaros snipes, still grinning. "I'm here for another three months as well."

Krylow nods to Winters. "Did 'The Thirty-Fourth Rule' make a general circuit around the station, or just come straight in and out?" he asks, before turning to Green. "Let me know what you find, Lieutenant. Mister Walters, we'll consider using the runabout based on what Lieutenant Green finds and after the supplies are unloaded."

Green gives Winters a bit of an odd look when the man mentions Irdosia, but the look is brief, for she gets to work scanning through frequencies. "Of course, Lieutenant."

Walters says, "Level one diagnostics say that there is nothing mechanically wrong. Checking the timedate of the 'Thirty fourth rule' against the blackout..."

McKenna shakes his head, tsking. "People who can't cheat, shouldn't. But anyway. To each his own."

Matheson chuckles at McKenna's statement. "Indeed. And three months isn't that much longer. It's the home stretch now." The doctor gets back to work, then, moving more cargo.

GAME: Green spends a courage point.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems+A vs Challenging and Fails.

Nabrun stands on the runabout and tilts her head to the side. "How about we switch up and go to a chain system?" che calls to the others. "Might move a little faster, be a bit more efficient."

GAME: Walters contests his Computer+A vs Moderate and Marginally Succeeds.

"Whatever you think will work best, sir," Zaros tells Nabrun, deferring to her.

Ivari smiles. "This place is starting to feel more and more like home. I'll miss it when I'm gone."

Winters thinks about that for a moment. "Straight in and out as far as I remember. I didn't pay them much mind as they left, just as long as they left, you know? That Frak was such a toad, you know? Even more than a normal Ferengi."

Krylow chuckles slightly to Winters. "Maybe he was just putting on a show for you," he says, before turning to Green and Walters. "Let me know what you find."

"Nothing showing up yet, sir," Tay reports. "Still working on it."

Walters says, "Ah've got their course in and out of the station here if we decide to check using the shuttle. It was 2 weeks ago, but this only started three days ago. Ah also wouldn't rule out a cloaked vessel of course."

GAME: Walters contests his Systems Engineering vs Difficult and Succeeds.

McKenna grins at Nabrun and nods. "That sounds like a workable plan," he agrees. "Get this done and we might find time for poker," he adds wryly.

Matheson gets in line to pass boxes down the chain, "Yes, a good idea indeed. Poker, huh?" He shakes his head.

Nabrun laughs quietly and shakes her head. "I've played Gin Rummy a couple times, but didn't really get the game, I'm afraid," she tells the group, starting at the head of the chain to pass crates down.

Zaros grins. "Maybe if the skipper says we can." Of course, the runabout is nearly empty by now.

Winters nods. "Maybe, but I didn't get that impression. He was... slimy."

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems+A vs Challenging and Succeeds.

Krylow nods to Winters. "Slimy enough to leave a trail behind," he asks, before smiling a little. Then another look to Green and Walters.

Green's eyebrows lift at her screens. "Lieutenant, relaying this data to you. The dampening fields are coming from ten different directions."

. o O Green thinks, "Guess they wanted to make sure the job got done right."

Walters says, "It's theoretically possible to create this kind of effect with small probes configured to emit an interference pattern in a radius. Ah couldn't see a way to make it selective, but iffen you just wanted to cut off one relay and in turn cur off anything it relays for..."

McKenna gets in line next to Nabrun to help finish things off. "I used to play Old Maid, but it's hard to get people overly excited about it. Though Go Fish, on the other hand..."

Matheson just grunts, "Go fish!" Then he looks up and waits for the boxes to start coming.

Nabrun starts in on the last few boxes. "Alright, we're almost to the end," she calls.

And finally, Nabrun hands off the last box, and the runabout empties out. "If you want, I'll go ask the skipper how things are coming up there," Zaros offers.

Winters, in the meantime, frowns. "Why would someone want to isolate us? It's not like we have anything worth stealing here."

"That is a question I hope to answer, Mister Winters," says Krylow, standing. "Once the cargo is unloaded I'm going the Cape Fear and try and isolate one of these probes, or whatever they are." He looks to Green and Walters then. "Let's prep for that. Mister Walters, take the information from Lieutenant Green and try and brainstorm ways using shields or whatever we have to isolate one of these."

Green nods once, and passes the data to Walters' console as well. "We could stuff bubblegum in its emitters," she mutters, nonetheless trying to pull up information on dampening fields from the computer.

Walters says, "Isolate as in prevent them from communicating with each other? Ah don't see how they really could in this mess. What exactly do you mean by isolate here? Personally ah wouldn't mind taking one away for study before we dissaemble the whole network."

McKenna glances to Nabrun, since she's the one getting to make the decision on Zaros' offer. "I'm just glad we got the heavy lifting done," he says cheerfully. "I wonder how the others are doing."

Matheson wipes his brow again, "Enough boxes for a lifetime, it seems." He adjusts his medical kit and uniform, smoothing out the creases.

Nabrun looks over toward Zaros and smiles. "They should be down shortly," she replies. "Why don't we hang out here for the time being?"

GAME: Green contests her Starship Tactics/Naval vs Challenging and Succeeds.

"If there's anything we can do to help, sir, let me know," Winters offers, standing along with Krylow.

Zaros and Ivari settle onto a pair of boxes to wait. "Sorry it's so cramped," the Bolian offers apologetically.

Krylow nods to Winters. "I will, Ensign," replies, before turning a quiet look to Green and then Walters. "Shall we?" he asks after a moment. He doesn't wait for an answer before turning for the door.

Green actually blinks at her board, her fingers ceasing their movement, then looks up to Krylow. "This is strange. This emitter pattern, with the ten sources and all? It's a Maquis tactic." Giving her board a look as if she thinks it's playing a practical joke on her, she rises to move after Krylow.

Walters nods and stands away from his console, as he approaches the exit. "The Ferengi probably bought the tactic from them, hopefully at a good profit. Still, the Cardassians would also have first hand experience with it..."

McKenna leans against the wall as he relaxes for the moment. "No problem," he says. "This is pretty spacious compared to some places I've seen."

Matheson finds a box for himself, and hoists himself up onto it, pushing his kit out of the way, "What places would those be?"

Nabrun settles in to listen as well, though she's leaning rather than sitting. Yes, the Betazoid is still on watch.

With a sharp nod, Winters returns to his console.

Zaros looks up, raising a hairless brow. "Less spacious than this?"

Krylow reaches the airlock and continues to head towards the shuttle. "Lieutenant McKenna, let's get the Cape Fear undocked as quickly as possible. Mister Walters, I'm looking for a way to disable and isolate one ot the 10 items from the chain so we can investigate it. Also, I'd like you and Lieutenant Green to share your findings with two doctors so that everyone is in the loop." He glances to the doctors as he nears the airlock. "Let's get back onboard so we can do some research."

. o O Green thinks, "I guarantee, Chief, that Lieutenant McKenna has been in some very tight places indeed."

"Aye, sir," Tay nods after Krylow, and moves to drop into quiet information-sharing with the medics.

Walters falls back as well, but his first question is to everyone. "Does anyone here know what kind of booby traps the Maquis used to put on these probes such as self destructs to prevent examination, removal, or other fun things to attack a ship which tried to rustle up one of their probes? If all we wanted to do was get rid of them we could put them in a small warp bubble, or merely shoot them out of the sky, but to capture them..."

McKenna nods sagely. "Oh yeah. Some of those -really- deep space places aren't much more than a couple of crates lashed together with duct tape, and crewed by mice. Or so I'm told." He glances up as Krylow returns. "You've got it, Lieutenant" he acknowledges promptly.

Matheson listens as the situation is explained, hopping off his perch on the edge of the crate. "Interesting..." he comments softly.

Nabrun dips her head as she listens to Green, expression going distant. "Thank you," she murmurs.

"Good hunting," the Bolian offers as they move to depart, stepping back from the airlock.

"Seal the airlock behind us, Mister Walters," says Krylow, before taking a seat in the command chair. "Lieutenant McKenna, let me know when we're clear. Mister Walters will give you 10 different coordinates. Choose one randomaly and take us within half an AU. Put the coordinate you chose on the viewscreen, maximum magnification." He swivels to the look to the others. "Thoughs?"

Green moves briskly to retake her spot at Tactical, firing up her board. "We should scan it when we get there. It probably does have a self-destruct we'll have to disable if we want to take it intact."

Walters says, "A self destruct based off what? Ship proximity? Being unable to sense the field put out by it's fellows? Movement? Just tampering? Opening the case? Exposure to oxygen? If you've heard of these things before Ah'd dearly like to know what Ah'm trying to prevent from tripping. After all, they probably would have wanted a way to be able to access it themselves without blowing themselves up, or this could be a fire and forget weapon." He then takes his console seat and moves to call up the coordinates. "The self destruct might be computer activated, meaning if we could tie into it before hand we could prevent it."

McKenna settles into the seat, his fingers starting to fly over the console as Krylow gives the orders. "Okay, I'm picking a random one... number 6 looks promosing, inasmuch as any of them look anything at all." He puts up the coordinates for the others to see.

GAME: Walters contests his Starship Tactics vs Challenging and Automatically Fails.

Matheson follows everyone else back aboard the Cape Fear. He settles down into a seat, "I'm afraid this isn't my forte, Lieutenant. Thought maybe when we've had a closer look..."

Nabrun mulls her words over as she settles in. "What do we know of their other tactics?" she asks quietly. "Is there anything in the manuals we have on how to disable these things?"

GAME: Krylow spends a courage point.

GAME: Krylow contests his Computer+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

"Lieutenant Green, I want your focus on other traffic in the area, which might be difficult given the situation, but do what you can," orders Krylow, after reviewing information on his arm console. "Assume that an attack is imminent. Prepare phaser banks, but don't bring them online yet. I would like the shields powered up, however." He turns to the team in general. "As noted these tend to be used by Maquis. They produce a communications dampening field in order to prevent distress signals. They tend to explode when a tractor beam is used on them, and as no one has captured one we have no information to go on. I want to make a brief but pointed stab at capturing one, but given the potential danger if we are not showing signs of success then we will destroy them. Mister Walters, since tractor beams will not work I want ideas, not questions, on other options we can use. Lieutenants Nabrun and Matheson, it may not be your forte, but with with Lieutenant McKenna to try and provide scan information or establish a remote connection with the probe or mine to see if we can access their computer systems. Let's go to work people."

Green watches Krylow intently, then nods her understanding. "Aye, Lieutenant." She gets to work, bringing up the shields and shunting phasers to standby.

GAME: Nabrun contests her Shipboard Systems vs Challenging and Succeeds.

Walters says in a quick, business like manner despite the drawl, "Aye sir. Suggestions: Mah first suggestion is a transporter beam. We can disarm weapons in a beam, no reason we shouldn't be able to disarm an explosive device. Mah second suggestion is simply floating one in through a doorway, after rigging a containment field to keep the rest of us and our air in while leaving part of the ship depressurized. Though the first suggestion is a lot safer."

GAME: McKenna contests his Shipboard Systems vs Challenging and Succeeds.

. o O Krylow thinks, "Wait? These things explode and you want to bring one onto the runabout?"

GAME: Matheson spends a courage point.

GAME: Matheson contests his Computer+A vs Challenging and Dramatically Succeeds.

McKenna volunteers, "I'm picking up five subspace antennae on the probe's surface. Connecting to one of those should give us access to the computer," as he works the console.

Matheson stands, "Aye, aye, sir. I'm going to try and establish a remote link to the probe." The doctor makes his way to a console and begins to tap at the display. His eyes narrow in concentration, and then he says, "What's this...?" Normally, those would be famous last words, but he then says, "Lieutenant, I have access through the communications grid to the full probe database. I'm going through there into the full network of the grid." A pause, and a rather sheepish, "I think I can hit the off switch, if you like."

Nabrun goes to work on the computer, mulling things over. "Hmmmm, it appears to be an older Ferengi model. Most people could get through this, I think," she says, then looks up at Matheson, eyes wide. A grin splits her face.

Krylow nods to the crew in general. "Good work. Let's disable all ten of them and find any information you can regarding who placed them here."

Green's eyebrows rise, though she never looks away from her board.

. o O Green thinks, "See, this is why people like me toss themselves between phasers and smart people like these."

Walters says, "Once they're shut down there should be no reason we can't beam them aboard, Sir."

McKenna eyes Matheson. "Nice," he says in admiration. "You can really go to town on these jokers. Talk about jackpot." He pauses. "I hope it's not being made easy on purpose or anything... watch out for Trojan horses?"

Matheson nods, "Aye, shutting them down now." The doctor hits a few more buttons, then licks his lips and hits the execute key. "Fingers crossed." he says, as he looks up towards the viewscreen to see the outcome of his efforts.

Nabrun remains still, poised, watching the viewscreen as well.

On the screen, the probe goes dark -- and instantly, the comms come to life with subspace chatter again.

Krylow shakes his head to Walters. "We are not beaming explosive devices onto the runabout. I will not compromise team safety, Mister Walters. Lieutenant McKenna, contact the relay station and notify Ensign Winters the problem should be resolved. See if the station has the ability to launch distress beacons. If so, suggest that if this problem reoccurs they immediately launch one of thoe beacons." He turns to the others. "You need did good work so far, but I'd still like to see what you can garner from the computer systems. I want to know who may be targeting a Starfleet installation. Lieutenant Green, now that we're not so blind let's get a scan of the area."

GAME: Nabrun contests her Computer vs Moderate and Marginally Succeeds.

. o O Walters feels Acceptance

"Bingo," Tay murmurs when the comms start working again, and bends to busy herself with her console. "Looks like we're alone out here, Lieutenant. Just the ten probes and us."

. o O Walters thinks, "I suppose he has a point, though the transporters could disable the explosives on the beam in. No big deal, though. We'll see how he wants to deal with them now, without taking them on to the ship."

Walters turns back to his console with a slight shrug and taps into the sensor data curiously.

GAME: Matheson contests his Computer+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

McKenna nods in acknowledgement and gets to work contacting the relay station. "Finally," he mutters, "they can stop asking 'can you hear me now?'."

Matheson shrugs and looks back down at the screen, "Aye, sir. I'm going to see what I can get out of the network, since I'm in here." He pulls the computer program up, "Here... It looks like it was programmed by someone named Tom Krathe aboard the 'Thirty-Fourth Rule.' That Ferengi freighter. The tactical strategy is in here - the one they used to blank out the station. No way to tell why, though."

Nabrun adds to Matheson's report with, "It was launched from the Ferengi freighter, which is several light years away."

Winters appears on the viewscreen. "Whatever you've done out there, Cape Fear, it's appreciated. We've got our distress beacons loaded up and ready to go, with one aimed directly at S419. If this happens again, you'll hear from us."

Krylow nods to the reports, and then turns to the viewscreen. "Excellent, Mister Winters. We've gathered the information we need so we're going to permanently remove the threat. Cape Fear out," he says, cutting the coms. "Lieutenant Green, target and fire at will. Once they're clear we're heading home. Excellent work everyone."

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Marginally Succeeds.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Succeeds.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Marginally Succeeds.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Marginally Fails.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Fails.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Succeeds.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Marginally Fails.

Walters says rapidly with alarm at the command to fire. "Sir, we could tractor one home and examine it EVA...are you sure you don't want to examine them more thoroughly, find out more of their their origins? The thirty four may have just been doing a job, laying them for another interstellar power, so finding out who made them could be important."

Which doesn't stop Tay from busily loading up firing solutions. "I'm about thirty seconds from getting all the firing patterns ready, Lieutenant. Six down, four to go."

McKenna continues to man the pilot's seat while Tay works on acquiring a firing solution. "I'm all for taking home a souveiner, as long as it doesn't explode on us," he says wryly.

Matheson steps back from the console and wipes his sleeve against his damp forhead. "Remind me never to do that again..." the doctor comments, quietly, before turning back to see what's going on with the others.

Nabrun looks over to Matheson and grins. "Good work, Charles," she says quietly.

Krylow swivels to turn his attention to Walters. When he speaks his tone is firm and final. "I have given my order, Mister Walters. For the safety of the team I will not bring these on board the runabout, as I have already said. I also not examine them via EVA suits. When it comes to explosive devices I am something of an expert. Lastly, in order to be able to travel at warp speed and return to the station sometime this month we will need to tractor one of them far too close to the runabot for safety in order establish a warp buble." That said he turns back to Green. "My order stands, Lieutenant."

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Succeeds.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Marginally Fails.

Walters looks at Krylow with disappointment but nods. "Aye Sir." Then he turns to his console to frantically push buttons.

GAME: Green contests her Shipboard Systems/Tactical vs Routine and Marginally Succeeds.

. o O Nabrun thinks, "Oh, just give her a phaser and let her hang out an airlock to do this. She'd have it done in seconds."

GAME: Walters contests his Shipboard Systems vs Challenging and Succeeds.

"Aye, Lieutenant," Tay murmurs distractedly. It's actually around thirty-four seconds when space starts to bloom with phaser fire, turning ten naughty probes into space dust.

McKenna keeps an eye on the various sensors, while he works towards setting a course for home. "Ready to get out of here at our earliest convenience," he says helpfully.

Matheson watches as the probes explode, then says to Nabrun, "Thank you, Doctor. But I prefer to do my surgery with a scalpel." He smiles wanly and collapses into his seat, "Home sounds wonderful, indeed."

Nabrun watches the probes blow up, keeping an eye on the screen and the computer. One through ten, the smile grows with each explosion.

With a glittery flash of light, the probes explode under the careful guidance of Green's phaser aim. In the end, there's nothing left that isn't space dust.

Once the probes have all exploded Krylow turns to each team member. "Unless there is anything else, we're done here. Lieutenant McKenna, lay in a course to the station in preparation."

Walters seems to have nothing better to do than push buttons on his console at the moment.

McKenna nods. "Already on it," he replies. "We came, we saw, something got blown up. Another job proudly done by the good folks from 419."

. o O Walters thinks, "Ignorant barbarian"

Green's lips curve, the tiniest bit. "I love the flash of phaserfire in the morning," she murmurs softly, and settles in for the trip home.

. o O Nabrun begins to sing, mentally - and badly. "I think they're alone now. There doesn't seem to be a Ferengi aro-ound..."

Walters shoots a look at McKenna, then Green. He then sighs and shrugs as he works on the data on his console with interest. "I wonder what messages were prevented from being relayed by these devices..."

Matheson folds his hands in his lap as he watches the ship turn for home. "Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that this is more than just a matter of a few blocked communications. Someone has a larger motive here."

Nabrun has an incredibly impish grin on her face as she settles back in her seat, relaxed, for the most part. Eyes remain on the computer in front of her.

Without further ado, the Cape Fear heels over on a nacelle, then flashes into faster-than-light velocities to streak toward home.