USS Penumbra Sim Narrative, SD 202101.29 Promotions! . Lieutenant Commander Relok was promoted by Vice Admiral Sulyk to full Commander (O-5). He retains his post as Chief of Sciences and his position as Second Officer. . Master Gunnery Sergeant Derek Hines was promoted to Sergeant Major. While technically this is not a true increase in rank (both MstGny and SgtMaj are E-9 ranks), the promotion does entail a change in his duties from the most senior Marine non-comm specialist to a more command-oriented role. He becomes effectively LtCol. Patterson's "executive officer" in regards to the Marine detachment on the Penumbra. . Gunnery Sergeant Khal'Gon was promoted to Master Sergeant (E-8). He retains his post as the Unit Lead for the Pathfinders. . Lance Corporal Homer Kyle was promoted to full Corporal (E-4). He remains a standard Marine Pathfinder Crewman. Introduction: . The Penumbra was still in orbit above the Kyrathian Homeworld in the Mirror Universe. The Rift that had brought them here had collapsed down to a tiny hole, hardly big enough for a Delta Flyer, and was sure to be guarded by the Golem Cain with his modified Romulan Warbird. . The repairs to the nacelle had been completed and the Captain plans a quick run, out around the local star and back. This wouldn't actually test the warp engines, but would check to make sure the ship's astrodynamics are sound. . An Away Team recovered the Heart of the Ancients (some kind of super antimatter fusion core from the planet). The team endured some injuries during that mission but now are physically healed, but may need to continue taking medication for radiation sickness for a couple of days. . The psionic members of that Away Team (T'Lin, Shadow, Bevin, and Tabby) will be dealing with the emotional and mental impact for quite some time (especially T'Lin).
. The Captain had already had a very brief discussion with LtCol. Patterson about the Away Mission, and reviewed the holotapes of the mission recorded by the Combat Helmets of the Marines on the Away Team. Now he has called a meeting of the Senior Staff to the Observation Lounge for a more thorough debriefing and planning session. . ==/\== . Capt. Zak Taylor stood at one of the large windows, gazing out at the green-covered planet below. LtCol. Travis Patterson was at the replicator, grabbing some "sludge" after the difficult Away Mission. . The newly promoted Cmdr. Relok entered the Observation Lounge from the exterior corridor. He was rubbing at the new pips on his collar, mumbling to himself, "How can it somehow feel heavier?" . Beside him strode the new Sergeant Major, Derek Hines, who was carrying a PADD in one hand and an old tin cup in the other. The big Marine smirked at Relok as the two of them found seats at the table. . On the Bridge, LtCmdr. Tabeshk Tibris logged out of the Operations console, since he was expected in the Observation Lounge for the briefing. Beside him, LtCmdr. Jason Carter turned over Helm to Ens. Proxy Filler, since he too was expected for the briefing. LtCmdr. Denovan Hawke signaled for Lt. Standin to take over the Tactical Station (and command of the Bridge), and he joined Carter and Tabby as they headed to the Observation Lounge. . LtJG. Jackson Carshel, still considered a "junior officer" had not been summoned to the briefing, and continued reviewing the data they'd collected on the Heart of the Ancients and cleaning up his report.
. Down in Sickbay, Dr. Shadow K'Trevala was checking over inventory to keep up on any supplies that might be running low after the recent treatments of the Away Team. With him was Lt. Katarina Hawke, cleaning up and re-sterilizing everything. Both had been called to attend the meeting, but with all the recent activity (and stress) with the Away Mission, they hadn't noticed the time slipping by. . LtCmdr. Bevin MacArdry had retreated to Main Engineering, where the expected sounds were not bothering the residual headache she had from the away mission. She, too, had been called to the meeting, but with the strain from the Away Mission, had not noticed the time. . ==/\== . In the Observation Lounge, Tabby strolled in just as the Artificial Intelligence known as MAX manifested his face on the central pedestal of the table. Tabby gave him a nod, "'Sup, MAX," and settled into a seat, tossing a PADD onto the table as he did so. . Carter chose a seat with his back to the window and the stars. He spent most of his time staring at stars and thought that looking inward would be a change of pace. As he settled into the seat he muttered, "We need a new coat of paint on the bulkheads." . Den sauntered to the table and settled into a seat as well, he wasn't particularly picky about where he sat. . The Captain turned to the replicator and said, "Coffee, hot, black, sweetened." He waited a moment, then took the steaming mug. Turning, he surveyed the room. "Hmm ... missing our Medical Staff ... and Bevin? I can almost understand Bevin and Shadow being delayed. Like T'Lin, they may still be a bit ... disturbed, but ... I think we need them here, don't you, Colonel?" . Down in Sickbay, Kat yawned and stretched. She had a strange feeling that she was forgetting something. Suddenly, an alarm sounded. She flinched and exclaimed, "Crap! Shadow, we've got to get to that meeting." He nodded tiredly at her and together they headed up to the Observation Lounge.
. Down in Engineering, Bevin received a call from Patterson on the comm system. "Commander MacArdry, can you report to the Observation Lounge?" . She growled under her breath before tapping her commbadge and muttered, "On me way." . Patterson looked back to the Captain, "I mean, I've no idea the condition of our repairs, so ...," he trailed off with a slight shrug. . Zak smiled at him and sipped his coffee before answering, "Carter said we're flight-worthy, so I'm planning a quick fly-around when this meeting is done." . Tabby asked, "So, other than the fly-around, what's the plan?" . The Captain didn't immediately answer, just sipped coffee. A few moments later the stragglers made it to the Observation Lounge and took their seats. Den glanced at his sister, and responded to the unspoken question in her eyes, "Leg and side are feeling better, thanks, sis." He flexed his cybernetic hand, then looked at the Captain. . ==/\== . The Captain returned his cup to the replicator and took his seat. He glanced around at his Senior Staff and then said, "Ah, so ... we got the Core, good job, Team, now ... what the hell do we do with it?" . Relok answered, "Well, sir, at first glance, that thing is ... well, it's alien, sir. I haven't a clue how to interface with it. Yet." . Zak then asked, "But, we need to tell the friendly Kyrathians we retrieved this 'Heart of the Ancients', don't we? What if it's important to them or something?" . Relok responded, "Sir, that Core is decidedly NOT Kyrathian. It isn't their technology. I'm not sure just what it is, frankly." . Patterson raised an eyebrow, "Speculations?" He glanced around the table. . Kat just sat silently, sipping her coffee. She was unsure how to offer any information since she hadn't been part of the away team. However, she'd learned that one could learn a lot by listening.
. Relok continued, "Carshel and I ... and T'Lin when she's up to it ... still need to run more tests, but ... that core is at least a thousand years old, and certainly doesn't resemble any Kyrathian technology we've seen." . Bevin spoke in her thick Brogue, "I've nae sain ait ip clase, bit I'd gaiss tha ait's naethin lak tha anes o tha rasis we ken." She hadn't had the opportunity to actually get down to the Cargo Bay to study the thing up close, but she was there when they retrieved it. It didn't resemble anything they'd seen before. . Tabby shrugged, "I dunno ... fire it at the rift? Big kabloomy! Bigger hole, get in, get out, shut it, shoot middle fingers to the air ... something like that." . Patterson grunted. "What about the Warbird?" . Tabby grunted back, "Fire it through the damn thing! I don't know! That's your job, right?" He was still feeling a bit irritable from the psychic battle and it showed. . Zak glanced at Den. "Yeah, I'm worried we haven't seen that damn Golem guy. Where is he?" . Den considered a moment, then answered, "That's a good question. I've been trying to find it." . Hines looked across the table at Tabby. "Rationalities always come before rash actions." . Tabby barked back, "Yeah I know that. I just think he deserves to get irradiated and cooked in an oven, with stuff falling on him, and the screams of pain from his crew! Basically, what we went through." . Hines smiled, but continued, "We gotta know what we've got on the table. Look at the cards and read the other players." . Patterson smirked. "And if we've got nothing?" . Hines smirked back. "Then we bluff the hell outta them!" . ==/\== . Zak turned to Shadow and asked, "Shadow, did we kill the Ivorez here, or just disable it long enough to remove the Core? Can you tell?"
. Shadow was also still a little moody, quiet and contemplative. He muttered softly, "Sorry, sir, but I can't tell. It's probably badly hurt, even extremely hut, but ... not dead yet." . Patterson thought for a moment, then sat up. "Hang on ... Tabby, you spent a lot of time with the Ambassador, right?" . Tabby mumbled, "Yeah, he's like an uncle to me. But ... I was a little brat back then." . Patterson waved that off and asked, "Didn't he have some sort of a ... virus or something? He had to go back to the research colony to basically get rebuilt, right?" . "Yeah," Tabby answered, a little confused at where Patterson was headed. . MAX chimed in, "Logs from the ISS Reciprocity report something from Captain Adam Android about a ... Green Energy Monster." . Tabby gawked, "Wait ... you can't be serious?" . Patterson glanced at Zak with a smirk. . Zak looked back. "That really happened? I thought it was just some tall tale!" . Patterson's eyes sparkled. Hines saw 'the look' in his eyes and said, "Aw HELL naw!" . Tabby groaned, "If this requires another trip, count me out! I've had my fair share for a while. Personally, I think Bev and Shadow have too." . Zak considered for a moment. "OK, so ... that Golem might be susceptible to some ... computer virus? Might be doable." . "Well," Tabby offered, "if you want a virus done, I could replicate it." . "But, what about this Core?" The Captain asked. "We took a lot of effort to retrieve the damn thing. Is it useful or was that all just a waste of time?" . ==/\== . Tabby grumbled, "Maybe we infect that with it and fire it at his arse? The virus should effect the whole ship and give us that delay we need to get the hell outta here." . Shadow chuckled softly at Tabby's suggestion, then winced as the pain in his head go too great. Tabby went to the replicator and ordered up two ice packs. He brought one to Shadow. Shadow accepted the ice pack with a wordless smile of gratitude.
. Kat just watched intently, seeing the looks in some people's eyes. . Relok raised a brow at Tabby. "I think we can find much more lasting usefulness of that Core than some kind of torpedo. For one, it generates power at an order of magnitude higher than our own warp core. Assuming we can figure out a way to integrate it into our systems." . Patterson smirked. "Yeah ... let's get that going." He paused, formulating a plan, then said, "Relok, you and Carshel work on that Core. If T'Lin is up for it, get her involved. Find out everything you can." He turned his attention around the table. "Bevin, give them a hand with reverse-engineering that thing." . Bevin nodded and mumbled, "I'll dae wha I kin aiboot tha cawr, bit I canna prawmis innythaing." She'd do what she could but made no promises. . Patterson continued, "Tabby, work with MAX and see if you can replicate a more lethal version of that Green Energy Monster. Pull up every log you can from the Reciprocity and the Research Colony where Adam was built." . Tabby smiled back at him. "Pat, you forgot. I was BORN on the Reciprocity. I know everything!" He sat back down and placed the second ice pack on his own head. . Patterson turned his attention towards Hines. "Hate to say it, Derek, but ... I'm gonna need some backup if things go south on the Warbird." . Hines stood. "Pat ... that's a daring maneuver." . Patterson nodded. "You said bluff the hell outta them, right?" He turned towards the Captain. "We've already invested too much into the pot. Time to go all-in?" . "So, hang on a sec, Colonel," Zak said. . ==/\== . The Captain continued, "Before we do some daring raid on a heavily armed and armored Warbird .... let's see if we can't figure out a few other things first! I, for one, would like to get back to our own Universe. How the hell do we do that?" . Den chimed in, "There is that weakness ... that major one the Warbird has."
. Zak turned to his Tactical Officer. "Um ... and that is, Den?" . But it was Patterson that answered. "The singularity?" Patterson drummed his fingers on the table, thinking. . Den nodded, "Mm-hmm, yes, the singularity core." . Tabby noticed the look of pain on Bevin's face and pressed his ice pack to the back of her neck. She leaned back into it and blew him a kiss. He smiled back at his fiancée. . Zak tried to catch up. "That's like a spinning miniature black hole, right? Same thing that powers the Cerberus? Wait ... I get it ... that thing has to stay in perfect balance or the whole thing goes kablooey!" . "Indeed, Captain," Den grinned at the Captain's use of the word "kablooey". . Hines rubbed his chin. "What if THAT'S our doorway back?" . Tabby suggested, "Hey, Carshel can make something like that. Isn't that almost what he did before that arse-hole showed up?" . Hines sighed as he scooted forward in his chair. "I think I have an idea that might work." Then he muttered, "Certainly sounds crazy enough." . MAX said, "I like crazy. I'm all for hearing it." . Then Tabby suggested, "Captain, I know this is a senior officer gathering, but might I suggest making an exception for Carshel? He literally damn near pulled that idea off on a whim." . Shadow agreed, "I agree. Get Carshel in here, we might still be down there if it weren't for him!" . "Dude can hack, Captain," Tabby said. . ==/\== . Zak smiled, "We'll get Mr. Carshel engaged once we've got some kind of plan. I accept he is a valuable member of the Sciences team, and his input is appreciated, but ...," he smiled and gestured around the table, "There's only so many chairs at the table!" . Tabby muttered, "He literally sits on the floor, sir." . Shadow said, "Get him in here and I'll take the window seat!" . But the Captain didn't relent. Instead, Patterson turned to Hines. "Offer on the table, Hines."
. Hines nodded and crossed his fingers. "Well, no guarantee it'll work, but ... we infect the Golem Cain with the virus, commandeer the Bridge of that Warbird, set it on a collision course with the rift and destabilize the singularity. Maybe the Core we stole from the Ivorez is powerful enough to keep our ship alive when we go through the unstable rift." . Zak listened and then gave orders. "OK, so ... let's get Bevin and Relok to analyzing that Core, find out what we can use it for. Tabby, you and Carshel come up with some kind of Super Green Energy Monster for the Golem. Den, you get with Patterson and the Marines to come up with an assault plan for the Warbird and a way to get the Marines on board to upload the virus. If we come up with a viable plan," he cut his gaze at Patterson as he emphasized "viable" before continuing, "we MIGHT put it into action." . "Understood, sir," Den said, nodding at Patterson. . "Um, I have a question," Kat asked quietly. . "Yes, Kat?" the Captain turned to her. . "I know it's a little late to ask this," she began, "but ... what if he's already had this virus, and ... has a way of preventing it?" . "Hmm," Zak answered, "yeah, that's a valid question, Kat. And ... no way to know. We might risk everything to upload the damn thing and nothing work according to plan!" . Hines shrugged, "That's the problem with gambling: can't see the other guy's cards until the bets are final." . Bevin asked, "Sae why nae iplawd baits an paisis o daiffirint anes tae mak a naw ane?" She was proposing they could construct a new virus out of bits and pieces of other virus routines. . MAX said, "That's the idea, I believe." . ==/\== . Patterson shook his head, then said, "As much as I find a lot of doubts in this plan ... any plan is better than no plan at all."
. "Well," the Captain pushed his chair back and stood up, "looks like we have some work to do. Let's take a quick run around the star and take another look around, then we'll review our plans before taking action." . Kat frowned, "Too bad we couldn't enhance the virus with nanites." . Patterson turned to her, an eyebrow raised, but he said nothing. Den had thought the same thing about using nanites but wasn't going to suggest it, knowing how "some people" had a dislike of using nanites. Both Patterson and Carshel had reason to distrust nanites (even though Patterson owed his survival to his nanites on more than one occasion). . Tabby picked up on the idea, though, and had no qualms against using them if they would improve their chances. He'd get with Kat later. . Zak smiled as he saw ideas beginning to bloom all around his Senior Staff. "So," he said, still standing at the head of the table, "work out the details and submit your plans for review. Now," he waved a hand imperiously, "go to work!"