Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2014 22:56:04 GMT -8
"From what I've seen, your mysterious pensioner is not the only unexpected visitor," Lia said, "I've encountered a young man in the botanical gardens who showed a remarkable ability to remove and return my daughter without any apparent use of a transporter, and officers in one of the bars have been experiencing an infant with the ability to modify the physiology of those around it. My visitor seemed to take his leave of us, but I believe the infant may still be on the station."
Raal listened as Captain Barlow explained that the starbase had not one, but three visitors. And as she explained each of them, Raal's eyes finally took notice of Virgil. He could see the masculine features, but detected the obvious feminine attributes when Barlow mentioned the infant's ability to modify the physiology of those around it. Things were certainly beginning to make sense now. He took it to mean that the man had been an unfortunate victim of the child's ability. Raal couldn't imagine how far such modifications could have gone, and hoped they weren't permenant.
Yet, as he concentrated on the description of the three visitors, his brow furrowed. He couldn't help but feel that it all sounded familiar somehow. "Actually, Captain," Raal began, "I'm not so sure your visitor has gone anywhere. In fact, I believe he may be closer than you think." Raal's mind was still trying to determine if there was any connection between the visitors and the flares striking the station. Yet, he was becoming more and more convinced that the visitors had the ability to help the station. Convincing them to do so, however, may not be the easiest thing. Yet, he had to trust the ability of his crew to do just that.
"Are you fond of riddles, Captain?" he asked Barlow. "Because our visitors remind me of a human one I heard at the Academy: It walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening. what is it?" The Capellan allowed the words to settle as he looked between the two humans. With it having originated on their own world, surely they'd heard it before.
Raal began to move back towards the door. The doors parted and he stepped back into the Command Centre, expecting Lia and the spiritual advisor to follow. His eyes scanned the deck just in time to hear the tail end of an Orion science officer's announcement of something regarding zombies.
"Ensign!" Commander Vaughn called out, chiding the young officer for actually speaking of zombies. Still, Zaynah's observation on the screen had given Dana an idea. "While I don't agree fully with your assessment of the effects of x-rays, your observations are valid. So far, we've been thinking of ways to protect the starbase, but perhaps we should attempt something a little more offensive... and disrupt the flares." Vaughn shrugged. "If we invert the polarity of our shields at just the right moment, and project them towards the flare... it may disrupt the wave of solar energy enough from the flare."
Vaughn took a deep breath. "Best case scenario, we create a buffer zone at the point of impact. One that would widen as it approached the station and spare us the brunt of the flare's energy," said the astrometrics officer. "Otherwise, at the very least it should dilute the radiation the Ensign spoke of."
"Clarify, Commander," said Raal to the Lieutenant Commander.
Dana paused a moment to come up with an appropriate analogy. "Think of throwing a pebble into the center of a lake. The flare will come towards the station like the ripples on the surface of the lake. However, if we invert the polarity of enough of our remaining shield emitters... omitting the ones designated to protecting the safe zones, it's be like tossing a second pebble into the lake and watching its waves collide with the first."
Understanding the analogy, Raal nodded. "Ensign Zaynah," Raal said to the Orion. He made the assumption that she was the one that Richards had mentioned earlier when it had been revealed that an Orion female was on Tazer's ship. "Attempt to pinpoint the distance that will give us the best possible results. Commander Vaughn, proceed with your plan on inverting the polarity of all necessary shield emitters. You have permission to proceed at your discretion. When the time is right, execute. Don't wait for my command." Raal simply didn't want to miss a critical window. Besides, it wasn't as if the sun was on a precise schedule.
"Cadet, you and Mr. Harold stand by to raise the metaphasic shielding the moment the flares erupt. We have to trust that our Engineers have done their job," he said. "Also attempt to ascertain that all personnel have relocated to the designated safety areas."
"You!" he said calling out to the old man. Raal finally began to move towards him, staring down at the man as he got closer. He raised his hand in Barlow's direction. "You know this woman, don't you?" he asked. "That is... you've met her before. You've been here before, haven't you?" He then gestured in Virgil's direction. "In fact, I'm quite confident that you know him and the child as well." Raal was speaking of Bethany. His eyes continued to study the man, as he tried to gauge the reaction of the older gentleman.
"I'll ask again," Raal began, "why are you here? Are you looking for someone?" He allowed the question to linger a moment before continuing. "We simply want to help. However, we can't help if you don't tell us how." Raal looked over his shoulder at the display of Etimon's sun, and then back at the old man. Did the old man have any connection to the son, or this phenomenon that was occurring? He took a deep breath, attempting to exercise a level of patience. He doubted he'd get the answers he sought by engaging in a shouting match. Perhaps a little patience and understanding would go a long way in answering some of the questions before them.
TAG: @lia, @zaynah, @jonah, @rev, @thenpc, Any
Raal listened as Captain Barlow explained that the starbase had not one, but three visitors. And as she explained each of them, Raal's eyes finally took notice of Virgil. He could see the masculine features, but detected the obvious feminine attributes when Barlow mentioned the infant's ability to modify the physiology of those around it. Things were certainly beginning to make sense now. He took it to mean that the man had been an unfortunate victim of the child's ability. Raal couldn't imagine how far such modifications could have gone, and hoped they weren't permenant.
Yet, as he concentrated on the description of the three visitors, his brow furrowed. He couldn't help but feel that it all sounded familiar somehow. "Actually, Captain," Raal began, "I'm not so sure your visitor has gone anywhere. In fact, I believe he may be closer than you think." Raal's mind was still trying to determine if there was any connection between the visitors and the flares striking the station. Yet, he was becoming more and more convinced that the visitors had the ability to help the station. Convincing them to do so, however, may not be the easiest thing. Yet, he had to trust the ability of his crew to do just that.
"Are you fond of riddles, Captain?" he asked Barlow. "Because our visitors remind me of a human one I heard at the Academy: It walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening. what is it?" The Capellan allowed the words to settle as he looked between the two humans. With it having originated on their own world, surely they'd heard it before.
Raal began to move back towards the door. The doors parted and he stepped back into the Command Centre, expecting Lia and the spiritual advisor to follow. His eyes scanned the deck just in time to hear the tail end of an Orion science officer's announcement of something regarding zombies.
"Ensign!" Commander Vaughn called out, chiding the young officer for actually speaking of zombies. Still, Zaynah's observation on the screen had given Dana an idea. "While I don't agree fully with your assessment of the effects of x-rays, your observations are valid. So far, we've been thinking of ways to protect the starbase, but perhaps we should attempt something a little more offensive... and disrupt the flares." Vaughn shrugged. "If we invert the polarity of our shields at just the right moment, and project them towards the flare... it may disrupt the wave of solar energy enough from the flare."
Vaughn took a deep breath. "Best case scenario, we create a buffer zone at the point of impact. One that would widen as it approached the station and spare us the brunt of the flare's energy," said the astrometrics officer. "Otherwise, at the very least it should dilute the radiation the Ensign spoke of."
"Clarify, Commander," said Raal to the Lieutenant Commander.
Dana paused a moment to come up with an appropriate analogy. "Think of throwing a pebble into the center of a lake. The flare will come towards the station like the ripples on the surface of the lake. However, if we invert the polarity of enough of our remaining shield emitters... omitting the ones designated to protecting the safe zones, it's be like tossing a second pebble into the lake and watching its waves collide with the first."
Understanding the analogy, Raal nodded. "Ensign Zaynah," Raal said to the Orion. He made the assumption that she was the one that Richards had mentioned earlier when it had been revealed that an Orion female was on Tazer's ship. "Attempt to pinpoint the distance that will give us the best possible results. Commander Vaughn, proceed with your plan on inverting the polarity of all necessary shield emitters. You have permission to proceed at your discretion. When the time is right, execute. Don't wait for my command." Raal simply didn't want to miss a critical window. Besides, it wasn't as if the sun was on a precise schedule.
"Cadet, you and Mr. Harold stand by to raise the metaphasic shielding the moment the flares erupt. We have to trust that our Engineers have done their job," he said. "Also attempt to ascertain that all personnel have relocated to the designated safety areas."
"You!" he said calling out to the old man. Raal finally began to move towards him, staring down at the man as he got closer. He raised his hand in Barlow's direction. "You know this woman, don't you?" he asked. "That is... you've met her before. You've been here before, haven't you?" He then gestured in Virgil's direction. "In fact, I'm quite confident that you know him and the child as well." Raal was speaking of Bethany. His eyes continued to study the man, as he tried to gauge the reaction of the older gentleman.
"I'll ask again," Raal began, "why are you here? Are you looking for someone?" He allowed the question to linger a moment before continuing. "We simply want to help. However, we can't help if you don't tell us how." Raal looked over his shoulder at the display of Etimon's sun, and then back at the old man. Did the old man have any connection to the son, or this phenomenon that was occurring? He took a deep breath, attempting to exercise a level of patience. He doubted he'd get the answers he sought by engaging in a shouting match. Perhaps a little patience and understanding would go a long way in answering some of the questions before them.
TAG: @lia, @zaynah, @jonah, @rev, @thenpc, Any