===== Senior officers meeting, Conference longue, USS Chimera ===== Shane listened to the reports of 2LT. Acheson, LT. Quayle, LtJg. Motmans and Ens. Oriana quietly. One after the other, the officers presentated their reports about the ship's status. It was obvious that all tried their best, but this time ... the luck seemed to be on someone's else's side. There was very little progress on every 'front'. An interesting report was the one from the ship's ODA Commander Acheson. He managed to spy out some new aliens. The polaron modifications seemed to be somewhat efficient as well. This time ... it really looked like that the phaser fire has some little effect on the aliens. But Acheson had little to none luck to find the missing CMO, or even a trace of evidence what might happen to her. Shane tried to hide his emotions, but he was deeply concerned about his beloved Rangi ... LT. Quayle said a lot about the ship's status and about the warp core. Shane hasent understood all what the ex-bord said ... by far not ... but it sounded like a good way and Shane could only trust the CEO to do his best. Virtually no progress was made in the removing of the alien device atached to the ship's wall in the corridor. Nor Ens. Oriana or LtJg. Motmans had good news for Shane. They've spend much time on scan logs, analysis and simulations, but still they had no answers about the portals. The situation was like on the very start ... the portals were almost a complete mystery. Shane had the slight hope that this meeting will bring finally some answers to the great portals riddle, but now he saw that he was wrong. All four reports were presented but Shane havent received any new informations. Now were all four officers looking at him awaiting him to say something ... to direct them ... to find a solution for the problem. In this very moment Shane realised how lonely Bretam must feel sometimes in crisis situations. When all possibilities are spend with little effect, everyone looks up to the CO awaiting him to use some 'witchcraft' and 'make things all right again' But ... Shane was no wizard ... Shane slowly stood up from his chair again and looked at the summoned officers. He walked over to the wall screen and looked out the window. After a moment he turned back and said: "I think we all agree that we havent got many new informations in this meeting. We still have little idea what is going on here." Shane watched the officers which who watching him back. "I have the feeling" he continued, "that the solution for the situation in not on board the Chimera. Therefore i think we should focus our energy on the research station." Still, noone said a word yet and all watched Shane speaking. "As you have suggested before, there is a connection between the portals and the experiments which were done on the station. There is a high chance that the experiments are the cause for all that circus" he said in the try to ease the situation a bit. The senior officers looked somewhat 'not theirself' today and Shane wanted to break the ice. "I think we should send a second away team to the station. Goals are simple: 1. find out what is going on, 2. searching for the missing away team, 3. searching for the missing scientists. I know that it is quite an hazard to send out an another away team after the first one is missing, but i dont see any other way how to find out what happend on the station." He looked at Acheson and said: "I would like you Lieutenant to lead the team. But please this time combat armour and the modified weapons for everyone". Acheson noded: "Understood, sir" Suddenly the fearless ODA CO looked quite more happy ... Shane turned to LT. Quayle: "Lieutenant, please accompany the away team with LtJg. Blackburn. It is possible that there will be some sort of an device that created those tunnels on the station. If there really is one ... i need you to find out how to use that device to reverse the effects and get rid of the portals." By far not that happy like Acheson, Nick noded bravery as well : "Aye, Commander" Shane noded back and turned to Acheson again: "How long do you need for preparations Lieutenant?" "An hour" replied Acheson immediately. "You have 30 minutes" Shane replied. Acheson looked strangely at Shane, but only noded: "Aye, aye" After a moment Acheson asked: "Will we beam on board like the first team sir? I dont think its a good idea when taking into account that we lost contact with the 1st team just after materialisation" Shane noded: "Goog remark" he said, "any suggestions?" Nick noded: "Yes, i would like to suggest to use a shuttle. No transport means no problems with interferences and no chances for any troubles there." Shane smiled: "I like the idea. We could maybe use the shuttle as some sort of an communications relay between teh ship and the station, couldnt we?" he asked. Nick shrugged: "We can try it at least , sir. But I cant guarantee that it will work with all those transwarp tunnels around." "Then do your best Lieutenant" he replied, "you have 30 minutes to do your wizardry with the shuttle" Turning now over to the 'Research couple' Oriana-Motmans he said: "You two please continue with your analysis about the portals. We just need to know more about them. Our main goal is to find out how to close that freaking things ..." he said with some urge in his voice. Oriana and Tim noded in Unisono: "Aye, aye, sir ..." Shane noded back and asked to the 'general population' : "Any questions?" <<OOC ... pls ask, ill reply ... ;))) >> ===== End of log ===== LtCmdr. Shane Guzman XO USS Chimera