PRoject Ian
Posted on Sun Apr 17th, 2016 @ 5:59pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Commander Patrick Leroy & Lieutenant Tess Rutheridge
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Galileo Science Center
* Galileo Science Center *
Riley approached the lab four hours later, rather refreshed after a nice long nap. “Ian?” he called out as he stepped in but there was no answer. That was odd. He had been clear about how much time the ensign was to take and Ian was never late. He left and checked the other lab but no Ian there either. Returning to the lab that held the sphere, he tapped his comm badge.
“Sukotav to Ensign Bren.”
There was no answer and a second later, his badge gave three short beeps, indicating Ian’s comm badge wasn’t available.
“Computer, locate Ensign Ian Bren.”
=^= Ensign Bren is not on the station =^= came the reply and it caught RIley up short.
“Not on the station, are you sure?” he asked.
=^= Affirmative. =^=
“Give me his last known location,” Riley requested.
=^= Ensign Bren’s last location was turbolift 23, Galileo Science Center. =^=
That made no sense at all to Riley. He tapped his comm badge again. “Riley to Tess. We’ve got an issue. The computer is reporting that Ian’s not on the station and his last location was in lift 23. I’m going to check it out now. Meet me there.” He took a tricorder from a drawer and hurried out of the lab.
* * *
Tess looked up from his tricorder when heard Riley come around the bend of the corridor.
“Hey Riley,” Tess nodded. “What is this thing with Ian exactly? My tricorder isn’t getting any strange reading from there.” He ended pointing with the thumb to the doors of turbolift 23.
“I sent him home to get some sleep and told him to be back in four hours,” Riley answered. “When he didn’t show, I checked with the computer. No Ian on the station. He hasn’t transported anywhere, nor did he take a shuttle down to Archadia...or anywhere else.” Riley pushed the panel and moments later, the doors of lift 23 opened. “This was the last place he was and according to the computer, it was four hours ago.”
“Um… Perhaps we could have another case of those phasings we had to cope with more than a year ago. I’ll inform Commander Leroy and ask some of the staff to run a thorough check of the Chroniton level in all the starbase. This will take time, though.”
Riley frowned, not happy to hear that. He adjusted his tricorder and stepped into the lift. Immediately, the tricorder began to beep. “Damn. Cursory scan shows elevated levels. Might want to call Temporal Affairs too.” He stepped out of the lift. “Should we go see the commander?”
“We should.” Tess replied none too convinced.
* Leroy’s Office *
“What do you mean with Ensign Bren has vanished?” Leroy asked them standing from the seat.
“Well,” Tess replied making himself the eligible target, “Ensign Bren was due a short period of rest, some hours or so... But he never arrived to his quarters, last trace of him is on turbolift 23.”
“He’s not on the station and there are no traces of him leaving via transporter room or shuttle either,” Riley added. “My initial scan of the lift showed elevated chroniton levels. Tess has a team checking it out now. Temporal affairs should be informed perhaps?”
“Yes. I think we have to inform Commander Winter as well as Security and Intel.” Leroy replied typing something on his terminal. “I see there’s a request already for checking the chroniton level on all decks of the starbase coming from you Tess. Good, I’ll open a project now I’ll name it just ‘Ian Bren’ for a lack of a better term. I want any available staff member to get working on it on shifts.”
Riley nodded. “I keep wondering why Ian, you know? Something he said just before we both left to go on break came back to me. We were talking about the sphere and the new readings indicating that the sphere is slowly breaking down and could destabilize. The rate is incredibly slow but he’s been running some simulations that could predict when. Without him here it will take us some time to catch up on what he was discovering.”
“Well. Pursue that route too, Lieutenant. Also we must not forget Krenim skills and the possibility of being under attack already… From another time, if not from a geographical position.”
Riley nodded. “A means of undercutting the investigation perhaps? Why not just come take the sphere instead?”
“Their true reasons we can hardly guess without clues.” Leroy responded furrowing his brow. “Probably they know of something that we have yet to see and that suggests them to undertake this direction, instead of just coming and taking possession of the item.”
“Which could mean that he’s trying to find a way to get back here,” Riley suggested. “There’s some hope in that.”
“Sure but we will not linger on hope alone. Prepare all the data we have to be delivered to Security and Temporal Affairs. Tess, sort out a small number from the staff to be set on the task immediately, to support you and Riley with the effort.”
“And the sphere?” Riley asked. “I think, given Ian’s disappearance, the security should be increased. I can coordinate that if you wish.”
“Good idea. Proceed.” Leroy nodded.
“The other thing is this,” Riley continued. “This sphere is slowly degrading. We should consider the possibility that we need to get it off the station. Where to I don’t know though.”
Leroy took his chin between finger and thumb a pensive look in his eyes: “On the starbase we can count on all the necessary equipment and the full complement of Security department… A thing we would not have elsewhere, unless sending the item deep in Federation space in Alpha Quadrant. But I’m reluctant to take such a solution. The sphere can be put in the stasis compartment when not studied. That should greatly slow, if not stop, the decaying rate.”
Riley nodded, “I think stasis is the best idea for now. That will give us time to dig through Ian’s simulations and get a handle on what’s happening.” He sighed aloud as another thought occurred to him. “Have Li and the Admiral been informed? If such a move was made by the Krenim here, then the team patrolling out near their borders might be in trouble.”
“Intel department has been informed for sure the report has been handed to Captain Hawke” Tess responded for that question.
“Good. I would hate to see them on the firing line out there. Reva is with them, as is Six,” Riley informed the two men. “They all need to be aware of what’s happened here.”
“Of course.” Leroy agreed “Are we through with the issue and proceed with our tasks or are there other matters to be examined?” He asked in the end.
Rutheridge shook his head negatively.
Riley did likewise. “I’ll contact security and then we will get to Ian’s work and start sorting it out.”
“I declare this meeting over then. Keep me posted on any further development.” Leroy said seating himself again at his desk.
“We will.” Riley rose and hurried out, anxious to begin work.
******************
Lt. Riley Sukotav
Bearer Of Bad News
Patrick Leroy
Organizer Of The Bad News
Tess Rutheridge
Support For Handling The Bad News
