[USS Vanguard] Rule of Aquisition# 109: Sometimes Patience can bring Profit
- From: "Soman Drath" <karma_tsunami@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: ncv80221@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 17:44:12 -0500
From Christopher Jackson
Lt. Soman Drath
bridge, U.S.S. Vanguard
Vanguard slipped effortlessly from warp speed. The Hearth system sun gleamed
against her hull as Vanguard followed the steady course to the second planet.
Soman: First officer's log, supplemental: It has been 14 hours since we resumed
course to Hearth II for resupply of our Trilithium stocks. I have been, once
again impressed with this crew's expediency and efficiency. All stations have
reported fully prepared for the task at hand. Though I still have my
trepidations about the transfer of such a volatile element, I feel we are more
than ready to carry out the task.
Soman scanned the bridge. The officers at their stations looked sure and
ready. Looking to the Captain, the two exchanged knowing nods.
Soman: Mr. Mandrake, what's our ETA to Hearth II?
Mandrake: 4 minutes at present speed.
Soman: Highwaij, any unusual activity on Comms?
Highwaij: Nothing unusual to report. Wait, I'm receiving contact from approach
control on Hearth II, voice only.
Highwaij listened for a few seconds, his eyes narrowing as the message came
through.
Santos: What does it say Lt. ?
Highwaij: They're requesting an approach authorization code.
DeAngelo: Makes sense. You don't want just anyone around your trilithium
The bridge officers chuckled.
Santos: Computer, access File Starfleet 113148. Authorization Santos alpha
one. Transfer contents to bridge communications terminal.
Soman: Final check, sir?
Santos nodded his approval.
Soman: Engineering, Status?
=/\=Vokar: We're all set here. Petrov and Stratford have reinforced our Shields
and structural integrity field strength has been increased by 20%. All systems
are at 100%.
Soman: Sickbay, Status?
=/\=Ethexx: Teams are ready. Dr. Hallam and I well be here if you need us.
Soman: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Science, status?
=/\=McCaw: We've got our eyes peeled for anything and everything. Mr. Chen ki
got some interesting notions on about intel gathering, but we're covered here.
Soman: Security, status?
=/\=Kye: Security is on standby. I've had round the clock rotations since we
departed Angel One. We're ready.
Santos smiled and nodded his approval
Santos: Mr. Highwaij, Transmit the file you just received to Hearth II.
Highwaij ran his hands over the console and in an instant, Vanguard was sending
it authorization. A few seconds later, the response came.
Hearth II: Authorization confirmed Vanguard. Welcome to Hearth II. Your
approach vector is being sent. DO NOT DEVIATE FROM IT or the auto-defense
system WILL OPEN FIRE.
Mandrake: Auto defense system? I don't see any. . .
Mandrake's eyes widened as dozens of tiny blips suddenly appeared on his
display along with a green flight path through the blips to the planet.
Santos: Set up by starfleet a few years back. Like Mr. DeAngelo said; you
don't want just anyone around your trilithium.
As Santos said the words, Vanguard shuddered. The officers were caught for a
split second as all her systems began to blink on and off.
Santos: What's happening?!
=/\= Stratford: Engineering to bridge. There's been a main computer failure.
Looks like a virus. I'm rebooting from the main core backup. We'll only be
down for a few seconds. Standby.
Vanguard wend dark and dormant. The silence was deafening on the bridge until
everything returned a few seconds later.
Soman: Mr. Stratford, what happened?
=/\=Stratford: As I said, sir, it appears to have been a virus. I'm tracking
down it's source now. It appears to have been implanted from inside the ship.
Soman looked to Santos with raised eyebrows.
=/\=Stratford: The virus looks to have originated from the cargo bay.
Soman: Mr. Kye, meet me with security teams at the Cargo bay.
DeAngelo looked up from his console, suddenly very excited.
DeAngelo: Captain, a ship has just overflown us. It appears to be following
our vector in the Hearth II. It's moving like a Tyberian bat out of hell.
It'll blow it's engines soon. It has a . . .Ferengi signature.
Santos hadn't been born yesterday. It didn't take him long to put two and two
together.
Santo: Ms. Barrett-Brown, report to the bridge.
TBC
OOC: Sorry if I misspelled Dr. Hallam's name. Lycos changed their email system
and I can't tell it that's an M or an RN at the end of his name.
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