OOC: My apologies, this log was supposed to hit the list a week ago... only got around to finishing it tonight! Lt Commander Samantha Palmer Mission Specialist USS Chimera NCC 96899 = SB Bragg Meeting Room Samantha headed down the corridor to the meeting room where she was going to be introduced to her CO for the next assignment... an assignment that would have her posted on an Intrepid class ship, namely the USS Chimera. Though used to much larger vessels, Samantha had always been fond of the Intrepid design and was eager to see one from the inside. With a couple of padds in her hand, Samantha entered the room. The Chimera’s CO and Captain Peckinpaugh were already seated, and Samantha quickly took hers. When she sat down and looked up, the man she met in the bar the previous evening was sitting right across the table. She returned his smile with a nod and then looked at Captain Peckinpaugh. The Captain nodded and tapped on her padd. “Good, we are all here. Let’s get started. I am Captain Amanda Peckingpaugh with the Intelligence branch. General Bretam Keylor, let me introduce you to Lieutenant Commander Samantha Palmer,” she said, motioning to Samantha. “She will be accompanying you on your next mission, which is the reason we are gathered here today. Lieutenant Commander, General Bretam Keylor.” “So this has something to do with time travel,” Bretam asked as he looked at the Captain. “Why yes, how did you...?” she began to ask. “A good guess, seeing that the Commander here is a specialist in Temporal Mechanics.” Bretam interrupted. “I was not aware that you two knew each other,” Peckinpaugh replied, looking for something on her padd. “We just met recently,” Bretam assured her. Peckinpaugh looked up from her padd and continued, “Oh well, then good. Let me continue.” She tapped on a console embedded within the table and a holographic map of the Spinward Marsh appeared. “Your next mission will take you here, the Spinward Marsh, known for its temporal anomalies.” Amanda entered another command on the console and the projection of a small Starfleet vessel appeared. “This is the USS Gott, a Nova class science vessel. She was last seen near the marsh six months ago until she was attacked by the X’chi.” “Aye, an insectoid race,” Bretam responded. Samantha herself had only briefly heard of the X’chi before this mission and had spent some time reading through their species profiles and offering possible projections and scenarios for what the X’chi might do with the sensitive information onboard the Gott. “Yes sir,” Amanda nodded. She tapped on the console once again and a map of that sector of space was displayed, inside it a blinking marker. “The Gott was conducting a test on a new technique, called temporal viewing. When she was attacked she was just about to perform her first test. Over half the crew perished in the attack by the X’chi and the remainder of the crew drifted in life pods for over a week before being picked up.” Bretam looked over at Peckinpaugh and asked, “Temporal viewing?” “Temporal viewing is a technique that allows us to look back into the past,” Samantha spoke up after the Captain nodded to her to go ahead. “The theory behind it is this: in the fabric space exists small, unstable sub-atomic fissures. These fissures are believed to be ‘holes’ in the space/time continuum. In an area where natural temporal phenomena is found, a certain type of beta-dechyon radiation is found. This radiation is what causes the time lapses and other temporal incidents experienced in these areas, especially the Spinward marsh. “The USS Gott used strongly modified deflector shield technology to send tiny amounts of verteron particles into these fissures to stabilise them. Controlled chronometric emissions are then sent through the fissures to create a window in time. The chronometric emissions literally mould the beta-dechyon radiation to position the fissure’s exit point in the desired time, creating a sub-atomic temporal rift through the fissure. A confined scanning beam is then used to scan the other side of rift, to gather information.” “Ok so we can look into the past, are you implying that the X’chi have now taken an interest into viewing the past?” Bretam asked Peckinpaugh. “No sir, we think the capture of the Gott was just a chance opportunity the X’chi happened upon. Though capture of Federation ships is not commonplace, the X’chi do capture them from time to time,” Peckingpaugh explained. As she did so, Samantha knew what she told the General wasn’t the whole truth. Intelligence had grounded fears that the X’chi would try to use the technology onboard the Gott, and is why the science vessel was targeted by them. But Samantha had been ordered and signed non-disclosure agreement not to inform anyway of that intel unless the Chimera was put in danger during the mission. “Like Captain Peckinpaugh said, the Gott was still to perform its first trial of this technology... it has been performed in a lab, but has only allowed the scientists to look backwards in time for a few seconds before the fissure destabilised again. The idea behind the Gott’s mission was that the natural beta-dechyon radiation in space would allow for much greater control over this technique. However, because of the minute size of the scanning beam sent through the portal, information in a limited radius only will be available,” Samantha explained. “Ok so what does the Chimera have to do with this?” Bretam inquired, leaning back in his chair. Captain Peckinpaugh pointed to the map. “Long range sensor stations have detected the Gott transponder emerging from the Marsh a week ago. For various reasons, we want to retrieve the research performed on the Gott before her capture. Your mission is to board the Gott and recover the data. If you can retake the Gott, do so... otherwise destroy her if you cannot.” The General had a puzzled expression on his face. “Why the Chimera? I am sure there are bigger ships with a larger crew complement that could board the Gott and retake her without a problem.” Peckinpaugh pulled up a schematic of the USS Gott. “A standard Nova class vessel, with standard complement of phaser and torpedoes. Should not be a problem for the Chimera. Anyway, you are the only vessel we have that has not already been assigned a mission. And...” she trailed off for a second. “And?” Bretam asked, impatient. “Well, the region of the Marsh the Gott was spotted in is highly unstable and riddled with many temporal anomalies. For a ship to travel there they need to be fitted with a type of shielding that will help protect the ship from these pockets of anti-time and accelerated time. We have prototypes, but only enough to outfit a small ship, no bigger than an Intrepid class.” “And the Chimera is an Intrepid class ship. Right.” “The Chimera docked last night. We have an engineering team waiting to start the modifications,” Peckinpaugh added. “How long will it take?” Bretam asked. “Um... well, two weeks here at the base, then your engineering team can make the fine tuning adjustments while you are underway to the Marsh,” she said, checking her padd. “So, if this is a standard snatch and grab, why are you coming along?” Bretam asked, looking at Samantha. Suddenly he didn’t seem as friendly as he had the night before at the bar. “Any flat footed leather neck could try to overtake a X’chi controlled ship.” “Intelligence believes my knowledge will come in handy,” she offered. “In case adjustments need to be provided to the Chimera’s systems... I’m quite familiar with temporal phenomena.” “Her orders come from above, General,” Peckinpaugh offered. “All right,” Bretam conceded, certainly not pleased. “Is there anything else, Captain?” Peckingpaugh shook her. She looked at Samantha, and when there was nothing from the scientist’s side, said, “Dismissed.” = -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.10 - Release Date: 2005/05/13