Shadows & Legends Pt. 2

Posted on Wed Oct 23rd, 2024 @ 9:56am by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Imik S'Niohun & Lieutenant Inara Senn & Lieutenant JG James Phoenix

Mission: The Gambit
Location: Veloz Prime

Deanna and the forward team reached the Iconian ruins. As they carefully moved to look around Deanna noticed it remained very quiet, eerily so, and she still sensed nothing and no one besides the rest of the away team. The secured the entrance and waited for the rear team make their way across to them.

Sam felt frustrated without the aid of technology to assist their senses. Eyes and ears were the only tools they had, bar those with telepathic and empathic abilities. She felt almost naked without her tricorder.

"Are you sensing anything Deanna?" She asked cautiously, not seeing any other sign of life around.

Deanna seemed equally frustrated. "No, nobody and nothing." She looked around quickly. "At least your team made it across without incident Sam."

Walking back to herself, Imik had checked their perimeter and found nothing. Taking a deep breath, she rejoined body and soul so to speak, and then glanced around. How easy it would have been for the enemy to simply wait and ambush them here, but thankfully they had not and so the little band of Federation warriors could continue on their merry way.

"Commander, I fail to see why the enemy does not make contact. This location would have served them well." Imik turned to look at Deanna, perhaps she could enlighten them as to why the Romulans and others seemed reluctant.

Phoenix approached Deanna and Imik. "In that case they might be back" James added. "If we're going to be here a while I'd like to set up a perimeter if it's alright with you, sirs" he requested before falling silent as to see what Deanna had to say.

Deanna considered what was being said and the situation as they had found it, as well as other things that became apparent to her. "Lt Phoenix, you may set up a perimeter, but we are going inside. Plan accordingly." She turned to Imik, "I don't have a definitive answer for you. They may be here. Perhaps they are having the same technological issues as we are. The other possibility is that they are not here. Whatever the case, we are going in and taking a look. I'll need your expertise on this technology should we actually find something."

"Aye Commander" Phoenix complied before moving off to the junior security to coordinate who would be part of the perimeter. It was a simple plan, really. Just guards at the entrances keeping an eye out. However, the second anything happened, the rest of the away team could contact them.

Deanna led the way inside. She activated the wrist light she had and was thankful when it activated. She had done her best not to notify anyone of the fact that the comm wasn't working, like virtually everything else it seemed. Whatever was causing the interference, it had made this situation far more difficult and tense than she wanted.

They made their way through the stone corridors until they reached a room that looked a lot like the gateway room as described by Captain Picard and Captain Sisko. Nothing seemed active, but she bet something was powered. Her plan was to destroy everything, that was the tactically sound move, though the scientist in her hated the thought of doing that without studying it first. She looked back at Imik, "Lieutenant, I know your people have a lot of experience with this technology. Give it a once over and let me know what is functioning and causing us all these technological problems."

"Commander, If I may say so. This is too easy. We come here, there is no guards, no resistance, Lovok is not here, we find the gateway room. Unguarded." Inara mentioned. "I believe someone is playing us for fools."

"Agreed" Phoenix said. "It would imply that whoever was here was expecting us-" Phoenix stopped dead. "The captain?"

Sam wished again for a tricorder that worked so she could at least scan some of the equipment around them. She looked for signs of recent use and found no dust, no small debris consistent with prolonged nonuse.

"Someone has been using this recently, although without tricorders it's hard to tell how recently. There's no dirt or debris anywhere, no dust on the floor, it's been cleaned or used'

Moving towards a console, Imik studied it closely. Then placing her hands onto it she began to input a sequence of symbols, at first nothing seems to happen. Then slowly the rest of the equipment came to life, lights brightened, and a voice was heard. Turning to Deanna, Imik simply stated. "Iconian request for a destination, I would surmise that this gate room has been powered up less than 24 Earth hours ago."

She continued to input more symbols and yet another voice was heard, this seemed longer and more detailed than the last. Imik nodded as the voice carried on with its response, turning to Deanna the Ojnas Officer took a deep breath. "Our fears of contact with the enemy is unfounded, I requested an internal scan of this facility, and it has returned only our life signs. But the computer has also returned another read out of its last use, and from what I can understand the Romulans had little success in its operation."

Imik now returned to the console in front of her and then turned towards Deanna, "I can input a self-destruct code from this console, but it will destroy the entire complex. Now do you wish me to do so or will you search for other clues." She stopped talking and then slowly began again, "The Sinkahue is not within this complex, and several structural failures have been detected further and lower within it. I would suggest we go no further, or we may risk casualties."

Deanna looked at Inara and the others, "I understand your suspicions, and honestly, I think certain things are suspect as well, but we have to accept that things are playing out as they must. I believe some of our powerful friends would call it accepting fate. I'm not big proponent of such things, but it is where we are at this point." Deanna turned and nodded with understanding to what Imik was saying. "We don't have anything that can destroy this place with us, and I am betting parts of it are solid neutronium. A self-destruct would be appropriate. I would assume once things go boom our equipment will work again and we might be able to at least get some scans? she questioned Imik.

"The blocking field is being generated by a sensor array further within the complex, it is reacting to intruders inside the security zone. We are the intruders, as were the Romulans so I assume they suffered as we are suffering." Imik turned and began inputting a set of symbols, she stopped and turned to Deanna. "Once I input the final three sequences, we will have less than 10 earth minuets to exit this complex. I humbly suggest our party move out now, I will wait for five minutes and enter the last three sequences." She thought about the question of the Federation technology working again, "I would hope that once the self-destruction is complete, our phasers and tricorders should work again."

Inara pondered some things. "Well, it's not enough Neutronium to destroy the planet. It will sink to the planet's core and stay there forever."

Deanna looked to Sam, "Sam, time to go. Get everyone out and to a safe distance. I would suggest back to the tree line where we crossed. I'll stay here with Imik, make sure everything is set and then we'll follow."

"Neutronium is the densest substance in the universe. If there were more, it would sink to the planet's core and... well... the science is complicated, and it would be a pain to explain it. Let's just say... Praxis 2.0."

"To say the least" Deanna replied. "We'll worry about that after we get out of here though." She looked back at Imik, "Active Iconian technology has always caused issues with Federation technology. In past encounters, the destruction of it the Iconian technology, in both cases gateways eliminated the interference and allowed our technology to function again. I'm hoping the same is true here, because something tells me Jon is going to be a bit upset that we haven't spoken with him since we beamed down."

Imik turned to face Deanna once again, "I was going to use the gateway to exit the complex, that is why I wanted our team to leave. With everyone away from the complex I can ensure total destruction, but I am grateful you wish to remain. We can both use the gate to escape the complex, if you trust me, Commander." The Ojnas Officer now scanned several places outside of the complex, "That location is the best we have, both trees and a slight hill to protect us."

A smile played on Imik's lips, "I think our First will indeed be upset, but once we have re-established communications. All should be well, and our ears will recover from his loud response."

Sam nodded and gathered the rest of the away team making their way carefully back out of the complex and into the forest before finding a sheltered location behind a large mound of boulders that would offer good explosive protection.

=^= Howard to Celes, we're in position. How are you going in there?" =^=

It took a few moments for her to realize that their technology wasn't worked -still. She swore quietly to herself and hoped the others would know where to find them.

Deanna looked at Imik, "I'll deal with Jon and any yelling after we get this all done. Now, as long as that gateway takes us someplace on the planet here close to the rest of the others, I'm game. Set the sequence and let's get out of here."

I hope we know what we're doing, Deanna. Inara sent telepathically.

Imik input the last three sequences then entered another three into the gate. A white portal appeared then the rest of the away team could be seen, "Enter now Commander. I shall be right behind you as we have five minutes remaining." She then removed a key like device from the console and threw it away, "Habit, my instructor always reminded us to remove the enable key. Shall we go?" Imik pointed at the scene within the portal.

Almost instantly both appeared alongside the away team in the woods, the portal closed, and a rumble began to be heard. "I suggest we take cover. Debris may be projected to this distance." Imik had barely finished talking when a projectile of some sort bounced of a tree close by, "My mistake, debris will be projected to this distance."

Sam ducked down behind the boulders and tucked her head down, hoping the rocks would shield her from the worst of the debris.

Deanna looked at the others to make sure they were in a safe position before taking cover herself. The explosion was loud and more violent than Deanna expected. When it had subsided, she got up and took a cursory look around, making sure everyone was alright. Seeing that everyone looked fine and not picking up on anything telepathically she hit her comm badge, relieved that she was able to get in contact with the ship. Finishing her short chat with Jon she looked over at Inara and Imik, "I'd like to get some scans, get any information we can before returning to the ship. Even destroyed Iconian ruins are worth a look for scientific study."