Some Old Signal (SOS)

Posted on Wed Mar 17, 2021 @ 7:21pm by Captain Larisna Koralova & Lieutenant Penny Mc Taggard & Chief Petty Officer Jazmine "Jax" Best

Mission: https://hornet.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/5
Location: USS Hornet, En-Route to Typhon Expanse
Timeline: 3 Weeks After Mission 2

Once more, after putting out a fire, Starfleet had the USS Hornet running around on minor duties. After rescuing some civilian ships that had been jumped by raiders near the former Neutral Zone and dropping the survivors off at Deep Space 4, it was back to business as usual; a routine mapping expedition to the Typhon Expanse. But for the moment, life was as normal as it could get for the crew of the Hornet. They were either on duty or having a little fun in their own way on downtime.

For Larisna Koralova, it was downtime. Down on the holodeck, it was back in her Old West program, in a small cattle town of mud in a field of green. Mountains of grey capped with snow stretched off to the north, the plains of yellow lay off towards the east, and just beyond the forests to the south and west, one could just make out the red mountains that marked the dusty deserts. Horses made their way down the muddy main thoroughfare while ranchers and townsfolk made their way on the wooden planks on either side. No one seemed to notice that the blonde woman that just rode into town had faint spots along either side of her neck, nor would they have cared. Hitching up her horse outside the Sherriff's Office, she looked around several times before making her way towards one of the shops. She wore two ancient firearms on her belt, but this was an era of Earth's history where such a thing was commonplace, especially out on the frontier like this. She stepped into the Pharmacy, a woman was buying some ancient remedy. "Snake oil" was the term, a fake remedy as useless as a placebo.

As she waited, the thought occurred to her that she was forgetting about something. Not about what she was going to do, but wasn't she supposed to...no, that wasn't for another half an hour. Right? Right.

Amanda came in with a repeating rifle looking like Calamity Jane. she hitched her horse to the rail and followed Larisna.

As the woman paid and made her way to the door, Larisna continued to make a show of looking around.

"Help you, miss?" The man behind the counter asked.

"I'm thinkin' you might." She said, a drawl that wasn't one she normally had, "Just wonderin' though if you're gonna be smart about this. Cuz I ain't keen to hurt no one, save maybe them O'Callaghans you been shelterin'."

"What?" The man started to step back as Larisna spun around and crossed the room. A hand dropped to one of the firearms.

"You best think real careful like about your next move...unless you got a burnin' desire to pull a slug out of your own shoulder." The threat was punctuated as her thumb pulled back the hammer, the distinctive clicking sound of an old revolver indexing its cylinder to the next chamber.

And then she got the feeling someone else was in the room with her.

"Aw hell, why y'all gotta make this difficult..." She drawled as she spun to draw the weapon. As soon as she came face to face with who had just entered, she snapped the revolver barrel up and let out a gasp.

"Computer, freeze program." Larisna said.

"Don't shoot...TEX." Darf joked as he feigned putting his hands up. "Sorry for the interruption. We were scheduled to go over some of the security roster adjustments I was proposing. When you didn't show the Computer sent me here." He explained.

Larisna placed her thumb on the hammer and pulled the trigger slowly, exerting pressure to safely return the hammer to its idle state. As she returned it to her holster, she twirled it a little with a flourish, though that was entirely unconscious on her part, just something she did in the program.

"I thought that weren't for 'nother half hour." Larisna said before clearing her throat. "Computer, arch." The drawl was gone as the display appeared. "Oh hell, I'm sorry about that Lieutenant."

"Awww. So much for having some fun before lunch eh, captain?" Amanda stated.

"Computer, revert to when main character enters drug store and save progress. And then change simulation to recreation mode, active acknowledge." She said and the pharmacist no longer looked so pale, "Resume program."

"Oh, Captain. Sorry, didn't see y'all there. And Lieutenant Darf, pleasure sir." The man said.

"Picked up the program from Starfleet Academy. Several modes, this one the characters know who you are and have the computer files. Makes for a nice place to unwind at without playing parts. C'mon, we'll sit down at the saloon and we can talk there." Larisna said, leading the way out the door and onto the wooden sidewalk.

"You a fan of the Old West too, Lieutenant?" Larisna asked.

"My Uncle Charles was a big fan of John Wayne, So I have seen most of his movies." Darf started to explain. "Growing up between to seemingly different cultures I have learned they truly are more similar then many would think. There was a time on Quo'nos that is very similar to the wild west time frame just without the horses." He said with a grin following the Captain.

The saloon was a simple affair inside, a group of men were playing cards at one table, the rest were drinking or eating. A few were talking to some of the women in the saloon. None of them batted an eye at the new arrivals. Larisna selected a table and pulled up a chair, nodding to the other for Darf.

"I saw some, I also liked Clint Eastwood and Audie Murphy. One of the instructors at the Academy turned me to it. My human side of my family is from Russia, and the other half is Trill and...it's hard to explain." Larisna explained. "But a Klingon Old West...I'd be willing to look at that. I'm picturing Kahless riding with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Mek'leth and six gun in hand."

"What'll you have, Captain?" The bartender asked.

"Sarsaparilla for me, I go on duty in half an hour." Larisna said, "Lieutenant?"

"I will have a water please." He said directly at the bartender. "We should hold all staff meetings in this establishment." He said with a grin

"I've considered it. But people have rather mixed views on the subject, if you can believe it. I'd like to give us all some more time together before I start suggesting things like that." Larisna replied as the drinks arrived.

Darf took a sip of the water that had a rusty color to it. It tasted fine but like many things in this old west town was dirty. Instead of it bothering him he enjoyed the authenticity. "Well I sent you and the XO my plans for shift rosters. Nothing major just adjusting some people to get in some competency training complete."

"Good to hear. So far, I have to say that the department is shaping up." Larisna said, "We'll be spending at least a standard month, if not more, in the Typhon Expanse. I don't suspect we'll find much but there could be Romulan renegades, Orion raiders. There are other rumors, of course, but some I hope are less true than others."

"So far so good, Captain. It is good to be back and getting into a comfortable groove. I plan to run some more weapon diagnostics but everything seem to be going well so far." He said

"Agreed." Larisna took a sip of her drink as the large grandfather clock chimed.

"Oh. Looks like my time is up. I'm going to be doing my rounds, Lieutenant. Send me your report, but otherwise, everything looks good and is shaping up well. We should be good for some drills even during our trip into the Expanse." Larisna said, "And if you'd like to join us next time, let me know."

She tipped the brim of her hat, "Til next time, pardner." She said with a drawl. "Computer, begin shut down timer, five minutes. And show exit."

The doors out of the saloon shimmered and revealed the doors out of the holodeck.

Darf figured since he had five minutes he would finish his drink and enjoy the atmosphere as the Captain left through the exit.

==========================================================================================================================

E'Lor was in the holodeck doing her battle exercises, as she always needed to keep in practice and in shape. Well maybe not so much in shape as in practice. The recent mission they finished, had her running here, there, and all over, so staying in shape was really not hard. Yet doing her Klingon battle exercises were a must to keep her champion standing in all her competitions that she goes to every year. A momentary glich in the safety protocols allowed her to get injured before they regained their safety's protocols.

Bleeding from a large rip in her upper arm, "Computer, end program and lock out E'Lor, Security lockout Alpha 673Zeta4," she hissed. This was going to require stitching, so off to sickbay she went. With a towel draped around her arm she walked quickly from the lift into sickbay. "Um....Doc you here? I got nailed during exercise. Doc....?"

Calvin was going over some inventory when he had spotted Lieutenant E'Lor enter the Hornet sickbay. He immediately furrowed his forehead, his eyes already fixated on her upper left slash to her uniform.

"Lieutenant." He shook his head. "What on Earth caused this? Please come and take a seat over here on Bio bed 02." Dr. Hirsch then went over to one of his medical carts and picked up his medical tricorder.

He cocked his head, looking at the vitals. She had lost a considerable amount of blood from the gash. "Am I to assume this is from a Klingon-style batleth?" He had sent down his tricorder. And reached for phased decontamination spanner around E'Lors wound. "Can I help you with your shirt? It needs to come off." He had stated matter of factly to the Klingon Lieutenant.

"Actually it was a Kut'luch and instead of moving left, I moved the other way, and well.....this is what I was rewarded with. If it had been a bat'leth, I would not be here" E'Lor said smiling. True, a Bat'Leth would leave a jagged edge where as a kut'luch is an assassins blade and makes a different cut. But, nonetheless, it was a deep and nasty gash and it would be a scar to remember. Gently taking off her shirt, she winced at the sudden stab of pain, "Oww....fek'lar......that smart," she said as the blood started to flow again.

Hirsch couldn't help but wince, seeing the pain as the gash had stretched, allowing the deep cut to become more visible once E'Lor removed her jacket.

"This is nasty." He shook his head. Reaching to his cart once more, he had then loaded a sedative for the pain it would be causing. Having Lieutenant E'Lor's vitals already on his tricorder, he had calculated the dosage needed.

"But you already know that, don't you?" He asked rhetorically. Hirsch admired Klingon's. Sure, they were bold and stubborn at most times, yet they were a warrior race true to honor and served to the bitter end. "This will take care of the pain your experiencing." He then placed a hypospray on E'Lor's neck.

Allowing Hirsch to give her the sedative, though it was really not necessary as she was a warrior, but it did hurt like hell! "Thankyou Doctor," E'Lor daid.

"Second… Your gash is quite deep into the muscle fibers. This isn't just a simple dermal regeneration procedure." He tapped a few LCARs into a padd. "I need you to walk with me to the surgical biobed in the next room over, please." He watched E'Lor get up, ensuring she was not overcome from the sedative.

Getting up was not a problem....."Oh my.......," she said as her head swam unexpectedly. Regai ing her balance with some help, E'Lor made it to the surgical biobed.

"I will need to inject into the wound an amino transferase solution, then give it a few moments before closing up the wound. You will be feeling very sore for the next few days. Despite, there will be scarring." He factly stated.

"A new scar to add to all the old ones", she muttered. "Just how many days exactly?

"Shouldn't be too long. Usually within the next 5 days, give or take. I'd advise you to lay off the holodeck training in the meantime Lieutenant. This will ensure you're healing a lot faster." He held his hand up. "But.. I am a Doctor, I can't force you not to go back in there. Just maybe a day or two." Hirsch had winked.

Steven walked in looking rather pale. Seeing the wound make his stomach rumble in a bad way.

“ Oh my giddy aunt” he replied

"Lt. Edgeware, you look a little green around the gills", E'Lor said sympathetically.

“ Mummy I cut my thumb...” Steven said collapsing in a heap

Hirsch had paused. "Lieutenant E'Lor, check-up tomorrow. 0900 hours." Hirsch once again had whipped out his med tricorder. The Officer on the floor was Steven. "Cut a digit, did we?" He hulked down to heave up the Chief of Science from the bay carpeting.

Hulking the man to his left side shoulder and then rolling Lt. Edgeware onto biobed one. "Frack. To the bone too..." The man was already losing enough blood. Reaching to his metal side cart of the biobed, Calvin had loaded up a hypospray of local coagulant serum and pressing it to the chopped off index thumb.

Turning to Lt. E'Lor, "Where do you suppose his finger is?"

"That is a good question. Could it possibly be where he was working?" E'Lor said, looking at Hirsch.

Steven lifted his head up. Felt woozy and dropped it down again.

“ It’s in my pocket.....packed in a little box filled with ice.....oh dear..” He said fainting again.

Hirsch, had then reached for a pain sedative, and filled it. He had dosed for Lieutenant Edgeware as he had pulled up the officers medical file.

"Just a dosage of pain medication, it will help you relax Steven." He had offered a smile. "It will be ok." He had tapped the man to his shoulder, offering a 'there there'.

Fishing out the severed Lieutenant's finger, it looked to be well packed and surprisingly well preserved. Hirsch had examined it. "Off to the lab with this... Finger." He raised a brow.

Pausing, he turned back. "Lieutenant, how exactly did you cut off your digit?" Cal questioned, matter of factly.

“ I was slicing up some plant stems so I could. Examine their cell structure more closely. I got distracted and.......now my finger is in my pocket. “ Steven said.

"Ok. Well I will get some bio-polymer resin on the finger, and the bone will be micro fused." Hirsch had showed Steven the Medical diagram of the proceedure.
"It will be ready in three hours to be re-attached." Calvin stated as well, "You will have a dura polymer cast over your finger for the next four days, then should be good!" He had nodded.

Steven blinked.

“ So I can still play the piano then. Phew! You had me worried” he replied

==========================================================================================================================

After Amanda left the Holodeck she showered and changed she had the watch for second shift.

She walked onto the bridge.

"Status report" Amanda ordered.

"Commander." The relief officer at one of the stations said, standing up, "We're picking up something on an EM band. Scanners picked it up about an hour ago, but at that point it was rather faint. But as we've been getting closer to the point of origin, it seems to be getting stronger. And it's consistent, I don't think it's a natural occurrence. It could be artificial."

"How far away is the signal and in what direction is it coming from"? Amanda requested.

"Bearing 245 mark 5. It appears to be coming from an approaching an unidentified star system we'll be passing in twenty minutes at current speed and heading." The relief officer replied.

The turbolift door opened again and Larisna stepped out in uniform, her hair tied up and better showing the faint spots on her neck.

"Just doing my rounds, anything to report?" Larisna asked.

"Hello Captain, Yes we seem to be picking up a signal from an unidentified star system we will be passing on our current course. Would you like us to investigate?" Amanda asked.

"What kind of signal is it? Anything intelligible?" Amanda asked.

E'Lor stepped from the lift onto the bridge and took her station quickly. Flexing her newly repaired shoulder, she took her time checking all systems. Satisfied, "Engineering is ready when you are Captain" she said, smiling.

"Good to see you back on your feet, Elor." Amanda said,

"Hard to tell from here, Commander, very weak. Possibly a communication of some sort, we're showing some possible interference of an unknown type." The relief officer said.

"Is there enough of it to feed through the translation matrix?" Amanda asked.

"Commander, I'm not sure yet what we're even looking at has audio to run." The relief officer replied.

"Well, I think that warrants a detour then." Larisna said, "Chief, plot a course to the system in question, best possible speed. Lieutenant E'lor, good timing. May need you to on a console to help figure out what we're looking at. Might need to fine tune the sensors with the help of Mister Edgeware once he joins us."

She then sat down in her chair and tapped her commbadge, "Lieutenant Edgeware, Lieutenant Darf, if you could so kindly join us on the bridge, it would be appreciated. Koralova out."

“ =/\= On my way. Edgeware out. =/\=“ Steven replied

E'Lor looked at her instrument panel and started to work on the sensors.

"Helm alter course to 245 mark 5 maintain, current speed." Amanda said.

A few minutes later Steven arrived on the bridge. He gave the Commander a nod as he took over the science station.

"Mr. Edgeware, please scan the system directly ahead." Amanda said.

"You and Lieutenant E'Lor can work together to try and get us a better read of what we're looking at." Larisna said, "Seems we have a mystery on our way to the Typhon Expanse."

"Lt. Edgewear, I'm going to try and narrow the angular confinement beam to try and increase resolution. Would you monitor for any good or bad operations" .

Just then Darf came through the doors to the bridge. He tugged on his uniform coat as he made his way to the tactical station and got a debrief from the duty officer.

What greeted first the Hornet's sensors and then its viewscreen was a system that was supposed to be otherwise unremarkable. No sentient life, one Class L planet and the rest being either rocks devoid of life like Mercury or Pluto or small gas planets. The Survey Corps hadn't done much time here, but there was little of value here. But that was what was supposed to be here.

Rather, what waited was the system, with an unrecorded wormhole on the Class L, one that scans were showing to be artificial and unstable. And the EM signal - a low power automated comms signal, making out what the computer determined to be a distress signal.

And it's source code had even more to add to the mystery - United Earth Starfleet. One of the bodies that predated the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet.

"...Edgeware, get scans of that wormhole, I want to know as much as we can about it. Malloy, E'Lor, see what you can do about locating the source of that signal. Darf, you're with me, I want to do some research on the signal origin code. I want as much information as we can get in the next fifteen minutes, because that's when we're having a senior staff meeting. I'll notify Doctor Hirsch as well." Larisna stood up, "Helm, keep us away from that wormhole but put us in orbit of the planet. XO, you have the bridge. Fifteen minutes. Let's work out a plan and see what we're facing."