“We were looking for an opportunity to meet the locals – and this seemed like a good place to start. But apparently not.” Victoria shrugged. “But since we're already here... Who are you and why are you here? And is this really your home, or did you take it over from the locals?” She made sure to carefully observe the woman, as her reaction could reveal something useful.
"Roger captain." The HUM19 by the science control said as she started performing the scans. Spoiler: science 52 "I have readings..." The clone frowned as she looked at the console. Not for the first time, Andrey was reminded of the lack of creativity among his clones, as the blond tried to interpret the readings. "The readings show that it's... light... no signs of life... but it's... dense?" the blond struggled.
{Ah, dammit, I screwed that point up... there were no armours on Mendeleyev. Well, time to fiddle, and make it look like it was all along part of the plan } "From what I heard the last time I was on the bridge, the fleet was checking on two planets." Naomi answered as she looked at her subordinate working on the console. The XO of Mendeleyev was wearing (like the rest of her clones) a standard Environmental Suit, which allowed limited spacewalk as well as protection from external chemical and biological factors. It was standard equipment in science vessels, considering they usually were in first exploring unknown worlds. And while Spear of Tounder Storm had no such equipment, the marine armour worked just as fine.
Spoiler: Awareness 84+10 (deception) - great success As Victoria spoke, at the mention of taking of the house, the Nyssan showed a slight reaction. That she was versed in deception, only helped her notice it. "Our ship was damaged, and we had to evacuate in escape pods... and then landed on this primitive rock." She shrugged, still holding her weapon at the ready. Spoiler: Awareness/Intelligence 31- fail Spoiler: Tactics 10+10 (Tacitacl specialization) -fail
'Dense light? Let me have a look at those readings as well,' Cherenkov said to HUM19, as he moved over to the science station and tried to interpret the readings himself.
Hmm, Bell's working, or at least pretending to... Violetta thinks to herself. He said he had a recording...of us... She gulps, as an image of herself being pounded by the ruffian comes unbidden into her mind. He's probably lying, but if he isn't, there'll be some sort of recording device in the cabin - and a data repository where the footage was stored. This is the perfect chance to nip his little blackmail scheme in the bud. Maybe I'll find some evidence of his other crimes while I'm at it! Stifling the thought that she caused this by being foolish enough to go to Bell's cabin and get drunk, Violetta heads there again, using her executive keycard to enter.
Spoiler: Science! 5 + science (10) +10 (physics) - fail As Chernekov looked at the monitor, he frowned. The data he saw... he had a feeling it was familiar... but for the life of him, he could not place the familiarity. He simply could not understand what he was looking at... He frowned as he scrolled the data down. There was a pattern in readings, but... He shook his head.., He needed different approach...
Violetta made her way through the corridors, her posture more ridgit, as she passed the clones. Despite her intent, her body was stiff and she was ervous. This was not by the book. This was not how things should be done. She hesitated a little, then accessed Bell's apartment. As the doors slid close behind her, she looked around. Desk, bed, chair, shelfs, personal computer, bathroom, armchair... this was a standard officer's cabin.
Gulping, and trying not to think about how ashamed her family would be if they knew what she was doing, the young captain begins her search - checking first for the camera that could have recorded her tryst with Bell, and then trying to access the computer.
Spoiler: Search 50-10 (by the book) - success As Violletta looked around, her nervousness making her look at the door, time and time again, she simply could not fid the camera. She was about to resign, when, at the last second, completely bu accident, she found the camera - placed on shelf behind the dataopads - it was able to catch entire room, including the terminal and bed. Satisfied, she sat down by the terminal, and tried to gai access... Spoiler: Access 3-10 (by the book) -10 (security) - critical failure As she tried to access the terminal, the screen suddenly blinked, changed to red and locked. With a drawing feeling, the captain noticed that suddenly, a countdown showed on the screen - she had 60 seconds. She could try to enter password again. Alternatively, the white haired busty woman, could just leave, but Bell wouldkow that someone was here.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Violetta feels panic rising up - hardly having been trained in espionage. The camera is useless on its own, damn it! I could turn the computer off and hope the attempt won't be logged, but then I'll get nothing! Gritting her teeth, she tries again.
"Thank you Mr. Biggs. Assemble some mining drones and prepare to harvest the minerals." Zack responded before he opened a comm to the bridge. "Helm, set a course for the asteroids near this planet and execute. Hold position outside the field once we arrive." With his orders issued he split his attention between the readings displayed on the various monitors and the woman beside him. "Miss Kissens, my office is available if you'd like to discuss sensitive matters."
Spoiler: Access 22 -10 (by the book) -10 (security) - great failure As she tries again, the password Violetta entered, was rejected again. The screen changed black, the counter disappeared. A moment later the screen came to life again, divided in three. On two of the monitors, it showed her - the camera on the monitor and the camera she found eralier! The program made a scan of her face, then a moment later, on the thrid part of the screen, a movie started playing - of Violetta and Bell fucking. Spoiler: Awareness 17 -10 (by the book) - fail
"Yes sir!" One of the clones confirmed orders. Spoiler: Nepotism 27 - fail "Thank you, sir," The woman said, and Zachary already knew by her tone that she would refuse. "But there is nothing I wish to discuss. I am merely here to check on the crew's state, sir." She said with a conviction. There was nothing hostile in her tone... but he could not help but notice, that she failed to cal him Captain.
Frustrated he could not figure it out himself, Cherenkov sat down at an empty terminal and had the computer do a comparative search for phenomena with similar sensor readings to the anomaly’s.
“Your ship was damaged? How? Doesn't look like the locals could shoot it down...” Victoria asked, wondering if the answer had anything to do with the anomalies their fleet had detected earlier. “So you took over this place from the locals? It is a nice-looking place...” She commented and took a look around, seemingly at the surroundings, but actually checking to make sure no one was trying to sneak up on them – none of her companions were likely to do that without her orders. (My answers will remain slow for at least the next couple of days.)
Zack chose to ignore the fact she didn't refer to him as 'Captain'. She'd called him sir and he would tolerate that for now. "Then I'll let you attend to your duties Miss Kissens." Tungsten replied and returned to his observations.
Cherenkov started looking through the database, vexed with his problem. Spoiler: Science! 50+10 (science specialization) - success Finally, he found something similar to what he was seeing right at this moment. Optical fibres. The light transported through them was somewhat similar to the anomaly... That meant... Spoiler: Intelligence 37 + science (10) +10 (physics) - success Information. The light in optical fibre was a carrier of information. That looked just like that...
{No problem - take your time and relax} The woman shrugged. "Hell if I know. One moment I was sleeping, next sirens call for evacuation of the ship." The alien started. "Well, there were a couple of bandits, who tried to take us down, but we quickly health with them." She finished. Spoiler: ? 33+10 (?) - fail Spoiler: Awareness 5+10 (tactical)-fail As the woman spoke, Victoria looked around and found nothing out of the place. "And you?" The Nyssan asked. "What brings Federation to this part of space?"
Is there a way we can read the information transported by these optical fibres? Cherenkov wondered, The Spear might’ve already received the data by accident. ‘Naomi, be sure to make a back up of the code in the Spear’s computer systems,’ the Captain called to his 2IC on the Spear, ‘Perhaps we can decipher it.’
