Lt.Comndr Hunter ... "Dylan Chase... The Hunt Continues"
SNIP:
Kaemon got up from
the command seat and walked over to the science station. He placed a hand on
the shoulder of the young science offficer. "Your time to shine, son. I want
a way to "ping " that ship. We need something that will cut through this
interference from the Muntz Field.
ON:
Dylan kept his eyes glued to the scanner board. It was like starring through
the windshield of a ground car while traveling in a snow storm. The Muntz
Field was a serious electromagnetic anomaly of a type that had yet to be fully
classified by Starfleet. It had properties that ranged all up and down the E-M
spectrum, yet nothing that was ever the same from moment to moment. Right now,
it seemed to be radiating ionic interference. Ten minutes ago, it was acting
like an intense gravity field. There were also reports of the field producing
pulsar-like discharges, as well as acting like a cloaking field. In essence,
it was totally unpredictable.
Using the main array like an old-style sonar system wasn't as easy at it may
have sounded. Water was a medium that was well-suited to accoustic
transmission. Were this in fact a 20th Century submarine, and were they in
fact hunting another of its kind in the deep oceans, then there would be many
sources contributing to the vessel's acoustic signature......such as machinery
and other propulsion-related vibrations entering the water through the hull and
radiating in all directions. Also, the propeller would resonate when turning,
and cavitation could develop. Additionally, the turbulent flow of water around
the ship could excite the hull itself. Each type of noise has a unique
pattern, which can differ with speed, depth, and water conditions.
The systems they were using now were much more dependant on the computers they
used to extrapolate the data. 'Pinging', as the Commander had requested, would
be a difficult thing to achieve
The solution in this case was to add a secondary 'layer' to the scanning
beams......one that was specifically designed to cause a starship hull to
resonate at a frequency which their sensors could detect. Dylan decided he
could achieve this by combining active tachyon particles with high frequency E
-M bursts from the sensor array. In essence, he would be 'pinging', as the
secondary layer wouldn't be a continuous entity.
Once the modifications were complete, the young Science Officer set the systems
to continuous repeat. Now all they had to do was wait and see.
Ltjg Amanda Gavinson... "Dreaming ... In the Tank"
ON
Amanda was sleeping
on and off with Patrick also asleep, in her arms. She was a little
uncomfortable right now. She swam over and placed Patrick in the bassinet that
was attached near the top of the tank so that he was supported in the water,
but was still safe. Once relieved of the small bundle, Amanda stretched. It
was a great feeling. She was able to stretch the kinks out of all her aching
muscles.
Since JD had still
not returned to the tank, she took the opportunity to swim a few laps around
the tank. She missed this. It had been too long since she was able to
completely swim free. The specially designed tub in her quarters was adequate
for the short times that she utilized it, but it wasn't designed to allow
her to swim as freely as she was doing right now.
"Hmm, maybe I'll
have to ask JD if there is any way to do something like this in my quarters.
It'll be a little crowded, but it's better than what I have now. And Patrick
will need some place safe to swim as he grows. " Amanda thought to
herself.
She started to think
about swimming free on her home world as she drifted around the tank. Her mind
wandered and the image that formed was of her and Patrick swimming through the
private gardens at the Governor's mansion in Gretnoy Providence. They had
found a secluded cove and "got a little crazy" They had spent several hours
"studying anatomy". It was a wonderful day. She felt so good in her memories
that she drifted off into an easy sleep while floating in the tank.
Her dreams were
pleasant and she enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere in the tank. She was dreaming
of a very intimate kiss she had shared... and was startled to hear the hiss of
a door and realize it wasn't Patrick she had dreamed of kissing, but JD. She
blushed all the way to her toes.
She quickly turned
and swam over to check on lil Patrick to cover her reaction to the dream, and
so the med tech that just came into the room wouldn't notice
anything.
She hoped she wasn't
as transparent as she was feeling right at that moment.
Amanda
Gavinson
New
Mommy
and Lil Patrick
Jeremy Andrew
Lil
Tadpole
Captain Judy Kaha Dr. (Ltjg) Andy
"Moving Day"
ON
Dr. Hiram "Hi"
Colonic caught up withthe moving crew as they were pulling the last of his
things from hisquarters. Very quick workers, those movers from maintenance.
"Stop!" Hescreeched as he ran onto the scene. To emphasize his point, he
grabbedthe antigrav cart with both hands and held it in place. Ok, he bentover
it, gasping for air; he was not exactly in the best shape, scrawnyand out of
condition more like.
Ensign Joki
Jouni jumped back, startled as the mad man of Medbayattacked the cart she was
pushing out of his quarters. Luckily one ofthe other movers kept his hold and
was able to keep Colonic from,purposefully or otherwise, altering the carts
course and possiblydamaging something.
"Don't.." gasp, pant, "move.." pantpant, "another.." gasp, swallow hard,
"thing!" gulp of air, drip sweat.Colonic managed to also wheeze something about
"no right," but that washarder to make out.
"What are
you doing?" Joki said, probably sharper than she intended for she was still
unnerved.
Catching his breath, Colonic glared atthe little blonde Finnish girl. He
straightened up, but kept one handon the cart so they couldn't move it on him,
with the other hand herubbed the stitch in his side from running, "What am *I*
doing?" Thenwith more incredulity, "What am *I* doing??? These are MY things,
youhave no right to touch them! In fact.." he glared at each of them inturn,
"Put it all back, right now!"
Joki lost
patiencequickly, "You know we can't do that. If you've talked to
thequartermaster, I'm sure he told you that this is necessary."Technically,
Joki was not in charge of this move. Maintenance was theCivilian run portion of
Engineering, but
whenit involved moving a Starfleet officer, another Starfleet officer mustbe
present and this time, she was it. "You did talk to thequartermaster, didn't
you?" she asked.
Colonic clammed up at that, pruning hisface up as if he'd eaten something
extremely sour. Difficult as it waswith his nose all in the air, he looked over
what was on the antigravcart and then said, as haughtily as possible, "If
anything is broken ormissing, it's coming out of your hide! And I will be
inspectingeverything, every last thing, so don't think you will get away
withanything." With that, he shoved the cart out of his way and entered
hisquarters, or rather, what used to be his quarters.
As the door
shut behind him, the moving crew quickly got the heck out of there. Theyknew he
wouldn't be long, they hadn't left so much as a dust bunnybehind.
There wasn't even a chair or stick of furniture for Hi to sit on as he
contemplated this injustice. So he saton the floor and felt sorry for himself.
Everyone was against him, andhere he was the greatest person in the universe!
Were they all blind?Well, he'd sit here and pout for as long as he wanted.
Actually, it would be just about longenough for maintenance to finish
moving his things and setting up hisnew quarters. Why should he risk his
valuable hands on menial taskslike that? Oh, but he meant it when he said he'd
make sure everythingwas there. And be sure, he'd find something wrong!
Dr. Hiram "HI" Colonic
NPC by Andy
Ensign Joki
Jouni
Maintenance
NPC by Judy
Lt. Cmndr Kaemon Washi ... "Ping"
ON
Watching a skilled officer perform above and beyond the scope of theirduties
was always a pleasure for Kaemon. He had put a task to thisyoung science
officer and Dylan was putting all his science skills towork. Kaemon had
remained just behind the young man's chair, notlording over him, but more
watching and learning. And he was glad hehad.
It seemed as if an hour had passed since Dylan had reprogrammed theCavalier
sensors, when in reality a short 45 seconds had ticked by. The science station
came alive with a positive identification of what could be a ship. Kaemon,
again, touched the science officer's shoulder.
"Excellent work, Mr/ Chase," he commented. "Now let's find out what'sout there
and where. Send the coordinates to helm as soon as you havethem. Ensign
Bacon. AS soon as you have the coordinates take us in."
OFF
Lt. Cmdr. Kaemon
Washi
Acting XO
Ltjg Amanda Gavinson ... "Tadpole In the Tank" ... posted 060729
PJ, as Amanda had
already started to think of her son, was awake and HUNGRY again!!!!!!!! Amanda
took him out of the bassinet and helped him settle comfortably against her
breast, and man did that little tadpole start chowing down! He had a strong
suck and an appetite like his father! She could imagine him growing before her
very eyes. His last feeding was only a little more than 2 hours before, and he
had managed about 20 minutes total feeding time. So far that seemed to be his
pattern for the past couple of feedings. Not bad for his first day of
life.
After about 15 minutes though, Amanda took him off her breast to burp him and
change sides. She noted that while he had fed well, he seemed to be coughing a
little. It was a little strange. It wasn't so much a human type of cough as
it was a "choke/gasp" from his blowhole. He did it twice and then suddenly as
it appeared, it disappeared. There were several drops of spit/drool noted
around his blowhole.
Amanda wiped it away and watched him for several moments. He burped easily and
then started to fuss wanting to continue his feeding. She placed him to the
other breast and while he was finishing on that side, she noted the same thing
occur. She cleaned him up and let him settle for a few moments. Then she held
him in the water so that he could stretch out his little tail fins and have a
go at swimming in the tank. It was an amazing sight to see.
PJ swam a few feet supported by Amanda, and then she let him go a little, to
see what he could do on his own. It was natural instinct as much as her medical
training. She was right there, and when he "came up for a breath" she smiled
from her eyes to her toes. After a few breaths though, he seemed to be having
a little trouble. When she held him out of the water, there was that same
little cough/choke that she noted when he fed. She checked his blowhole, but
didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. All signs of surgery that was
performed on him a few minutes after birth were already healed and gone. The
blow hole looked fine. But something was nagging at her. Something wasn't
quite right.
Since the medtech was still around monitoring Amanda and lil PJ, Amanda asked
her to find out which physician was on duty at that time, and to ask him or her
to come into the tank area when s/he could. AS LONG AS IT WASN'T COLONIC.
There was no way she was letting that... that... man (for lack of a better
word) anywhere near her son, unless he was dying, and then she would permit him
to treat PJ only as long as it took to get another doctor to medbay to treat
him.
PJ wasn't in any distress at this time, so it wasn't an emergency. But she did
want him checked out. Maybe it was "New Mommy Syndrome" as they tended to call
all over reactions by new mothers to normal things that happened with a new
baby. But so what! PJ was premature. He had just had surgery not more than a
day ago to help reconstruct his blowhole. He was a triple mix hybrid. And he
was Amanda's first child! If she was overreacting, fine. She could deal with
that after the fact. What she wouldn't be able to do is forgive herself should
she not over react and there was something seriously wrong with PJ.
She hugged her son to her chest, and floated easily around the tank supporting
him. Her heart was happy, but worried at the same time. Hopefully, it was
over reaction, she tried to convince herself.
Amanda Gavinson and Lil PJ
Captain Judy Kaha...."Pop-UP"..posted 0608003
With unexpected suddenness, the small star shaped ship appeared before the
Cavalier, almost as if it suddenly popped into being. She'd been almost
perfectly camouflaged until they nearly ran over her. That was an illusion the
ships creators hoped for, and succeeded at. Of course, now they wanted to be
seen. The alternative was certain death.
Roughly half the size of the Cavalier, the ship slowly spun as if it were a
Christmas ornament tied on a string. A small explosion emanated from the
missing nacelle leg, flashing briefly, then extinguishing itself in the vacuum
of space. The force of the explosion, small though it had been, caused the ship
to list off in another direction. It was obvious that no one was controlling or
even attempting to control it.
With a crackle the repeating distress message cut off, leaving nothing but
ominous silence.
Lt. Cmndr Kaemon Washi ... "Oh My Stars!" ... posted 060805
ON
"Oh my stars! Ensign..."
As soon as she saw it, Ensign Sonya Bacon reacted. Her hands moved over the helm controls of the Cavalier. She operated maneuvering thrusters which brought the starboard nacelle up just hingh enough to slide over the hull of the broken ship.
".... evasive man...." was all Kaemon was able to say as he watched the smaller star-shaped ship pass "under" the main viewscreen. "Aft view!." The orders were quickly complied with as the small ship came into view, still in the same position, and then disappeared, as it's natural camoflouge did it's job.
"Good work Emsign," Washi commented once he caught up to his racing heart. "Can you bring us back around?"
"Aye, sir," Bacon responded. She swung the Cavalier in a loop and dropped to maneuvering thrusters. This allowed them to coast to a stop with the star-shaped ship right in front of them. It came back into view as they approached it.
"There she is," Kaemon remarked looking at the screen. "Mr Chase? Can you get a lock on any life forms? Security. Ready a boarding team. Full containment fields. Ensign Bacon. Send a message back to Atlantis that we found the ship."
OFF
Lt Cmnndr Kaemon Washi
Acting XO
Ensing Sonya Bacon
NPC Helm, played by Kaemon
Dr. Andy . Lt.jg Amanda Gavinson
Lt.jg Jeremy Aster ... "Tadpole Trouble ... posted 060815
Amanda continued to floataround the tank with PJ lying on her chest, secure in her arms. Theywaited for one of the physicians to pop in. The time seemed todraaaaaaaaaaaag along. She didn't realize how long "a few minutes"could be. She watched PJ closely, but he was breathing easily, flappinghis little fins gently in the water while sleeping. There didn't seemto be any problems right now. Amanda was beginning to think more andmore that she was a victim of "new mommy syndrome." Hopefully that wasall there was to this. In actuality, it WAS only several short minutes before she heard the door open behind her. She looked up to see....
JD strolled back into the tank room. He walked up the steps to getinto the tank. Instead of jumping right in, he sat at the edge of thewater.
"How are mommy and son doing," he said cheerfully.
She looked athim and smiled as he settled on the platform. "Doing better" shereplied. She looked past him to the door, but it shut without any oneelse coming in. She turned lil PJ in her arms. "Do you want to holdhim?"
"Ummmm.... okay," JD said. He had never held a new-born before. "Is there anything special I have to do?"
"No. You just hold him in your arms like this" and she proceeded toplace PJ in JD's arms, making sure he had him securely before releasinghim. She then sat next to them on the platform with her knees drawn upher chest just a lit uncomfortably and her arms wrapped around herknees. "Just relax. You don't have to worry about dropping him in thewater" she teased.
"Oh I wouldn't," JD said, the he blushed with embarrassment as herealized Amanda was joking with him. He looked down at the baby in hisarms. JD touched each of Patrick's tiny hands. His voice held truewonderment at the little miracle he held, "Wow. He's beautiful,Amanda."
She nodded back. "As long as he's healthy, that's....." she took adeep breath, 'that's all that matters." She toyed with PJ's littletoes as she sat next to her guys. Now that was a nice thought.... HERGUYS.
Having been alerted by the medtech, Andy entered the tank area with aconcerned look on his face. "Something the matter, Amanda?" he asked.Not that the medtech said there was a problem, just that Amanda wasasking who was on duty and could they step in. In any other patient,that would be a scream for help! Amanda was notorious for not askingfor help.
Still, she was a first time mommy and her baby did have some problems,so he made sure to hurry in. Though in as calm a manner as he could soas not to alarm Amanda.
Amanda looked from PJ and JD to Andy. Thank goodness! "I'm not sureAndy. I hoping not, but I didn't want to take any chances." She satup and hung her legs from the platform, but didn't take PJ from JD. "It's Patrick. His incision has healed well. And he seems to befeeding well. But every once in a while he gives a kind ofcough/choke. Which I normally wouldn't worry about, But it seems to becoming from his blowhole, not his mouth where he is feeding. There wasalso a little breast milk around the blowhole. It might have drippedthere, but I really don't think so. He's done it several times, but itwas more often with this last feeding."
She looked down at PJ who was comfortably sleeping in JD's arms,snuggled against him. "I just want to make sure he's not aspiratingwhile he's feeding, or there's not something more serious going on."
"Ifit's New Mommy Syndrome, I can definitely live with that" she said witha wry smile. She then started to chew on her bottom lip, hoping thingswere going to be fine.
It was a touching site, seeing JD snuggling the baby, but Andy had tobreak it up. "Well, lets just have a look at the little bugger beforewe hit any panic buttons." Andy smiled. Looking at JD, he said, "Howabout handing him down for a minute?"
"Sure thing, Doc," JD said. He gently handed the sleeping baby over to Doc Andy. He already missed holding the little guy.
Andy hid a grin at the somewhat forlorn look on JD's face when he tookthe baby from him. Someone was shaping up to be a real father figurehere. Andy was pleased for Amanda, and for little Patrick.
"Let's see what we have here," Andy whispered to the dozing baby as helaid him in the bio-isolette in the tank area. He looked at the rapidlyappearing readings and tried to figure out what was going on. Notsatisfied, he drew out a more sensitive tricorder and ran it.
Well, it wasn't new mommy syndrome. The blowhole was not functioning aswell as it should. They could try drugs and hope for improvement. Butin reality, the poor babe would probably have to have surgery for thesecond time in his brand new life. Now to tell Amanda...
To be continued...
Lt jg Jeremy David Aster
Chief Engineer
Amanda Gavinson
New Mommy
and Lil Patrick Jeremy Andrew
Lil Tadpole
Lt. jg Andy
Doctor on Atlantis Station: DS13
"Tadpole Trouble, part 2" ... posted 060818
Amanda watched Andy as he took PJ and laid him in the specially designed bio-isolette and took some readings. She tried to make out what was being displayed, but she was unsure if some of the readings were normal for PJ or not. It would take some time to work out what his baseline readings would eventually be. His composition was so unique, what was normal for her might not be normal for PJ. At least he didn't seem to be in any sort of critical condition. She watched the emotions on Andy's face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. His doctor's mask was firmly in place. She couldn't tell if things were fine or not. She would have to wait for him to say something.
"Well? Am I just being a worry wart?" she asked Andy, as she leaned over the side of the tank.
Andy quietly asked the medtech to fetch him a piece of equipment, and the look she gave him was almost comical. Unusually impatient, he rolled his eyes and told her to go see Merosa, the Pharmacist, and she'd replicate what he needed. It may not be standard issue equipment, but Merosa would know what he wanted.
For the moment, he carefully scooped the baby up, gave him a little kiss on his sweet smelling forehead, and walked back to the tank and Amanda. "Here you go, back to mommy." He smiled as he handed him over.
Then, hesitating for a moment, he grew serious, "I don't think you're being a worry wart." He took a breath and continued, "His blowhole isn't quite right yet. He's not in any danger," he hastened to assure her, adding a mental 'yet.'
JD glanced over to Amanda. He could see the worry building. He reached over and took her hand in his, iving it a supportive squeeze. It wasn't much, but he hoped it let her know he was there for her.
"So, he is aspirating." She stated matter of factly. She looked down to the still sleeping baby floating gently in her arms, and then over to JD. "So, what do we do about it?" she asked Andy.
Before Andy could answer, Merosa walked in with the device she'd replicated. She smiled at Amanda as she showed it to Andy.
"The first thing we're going to do," Andy said as he inspected it, "Is use this." Satisfied, he handed it back to Merosa, "You'll use this aspirator to keep his airway clear. Merosa will make sure you know how to use it." He quickly held up a hand, "I know you're a nurse and you could probably teach a class on using them, but humor me ok? This is your baby, not some stranger, and I want you to be absolutely sure."
Merosa climbed to the tank's platform, "I promise, I wont treat you like an idiot," she smiled.
Andy, hoping for the best here, started for the door, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Merosa, make sure JD knows how to use it too, as long as he's going to be there, he might as well help." He tossed a grin and a wink at JD. Absently, he wondered how the "Project" was coming.
Amanda took the aspirator and suctioned out PJ's blowhole demonstrating to JD how to use the device. There wasn't much suctioned out. PJ did cough a little and fuss when she did this, but then settled right back to sleep with a little rocking. "This is ok for the exterior secretions, but I'm more worried about what might be in his lungs, or what might get there before it can be suctioned out. This is only a stop gap. It's not going to completely work." she said more to Merosa than anything. She shook her head slowly. Now they could only wait.
JD watched carefully as Amanda worked with the suction. At first he thought he wouldn't be able to do this. That he would be more worried about hurting the little guy. But then he made up his mind that he could indeed do it. He would learn how to be careful for Amanda and little Patrick.
Lt. Commander Hunter ... "Dylan Chase" ... posted 060820
Dylan scanned the vessel as best he could. "The interference is still causing problems with the sensor resolution. I can't pinpoint anything specific Sir. Also......I wouldn't recommend using a Transporter. The targeting scanners would be subject to the same problems I'm encountering."
With practiced motions, Chase adjsuted his controls, then pressed a sequence in series. "Sir, I've launched a marker buoy so we can keep a fix on the unknown vessel's exact location. In addition, one we do have someone aboard, we can use transporter transponder to enable us to initiate beaming. If we have strong signal to focus and lock onto, we should be able to pierce the interference locally."
Lt. Commander Kaemon Washi ... No title ... posted 060821
ON
Kaemon debated the options of transporting someone to the troubled ship just using the beacon transponder. They could easily put someone aboard the "star" ship, but would they be beaming them inside a bulk-head?
"Mr. Chase," Kaemon said after making his decision. "Report to the shuttle bay." He tapped his comm badge, +Commander Washi to Dr. O'Leary and Ensign Randal. PLease report tot he main shuttle bay for an away mission. Dr. Please pack for injuries. Mr. Chase wil fill you both in.+
He then turn to the Brikkar security officer. "I know what you are going to say, Mr Hemphon, but I want a secure signal ABOARD that ship before we transport anyone back and forth, and unfortunately you are too large for this ship's shuttles. You will be transported over as soon as we have a positive lock."
OFF
Lt Cmndr Kaemon Washi
Acting Executive Officer
Atlantis Station, Deep Space 13
Ltjg Jeremy Aster ... "Cavalier Shuttle" ... [osted 060823
Lt. Commander Hunter ... Dylan Chase ... posted 060825
He did another quick calculation. "I know it's risky......but I would suggest we send someone over on tethers to plant a beacon onto the hull of that ship. From there......we could beam people to outer hull, and set up an airlock. It would mean cutting through, but in such a situation, I don't think the crew of that vessel would mind. Once inside, we can secure a proper beacon and transport enhancers to do the trick."
Lt. Commander Kaemon Washi ... "Just the Shutle" ... posted 060825
ON
"Interesting idea, Mr. Chase," Kaemon responded almost immediately, "but, no. I do not want to expose any of our crew to this regon of space. Ensign Randal should be able to do fine flying manually through the viewport."
"Mr. Hemphon<" Kaemon said turning back to the security chief. "Please alert Ensign ch'Thane to join the away team."
OFF